Changed Perspectives
by Nirnaeth Arnoediad
Summary: HIATUS! Harry Potter comes back to his fifth year a very changed person. Indeed. Pre OotP. HPDM slash
1. Of Former Friends, Enemies, and Mothers

**OK, everyone… This is NOT a Scarlet and Gold Gryffindors Are All Great and Good type of fic! If you have a problem with that then just don't read. **

**And ALSO! This will become _most likely a SLASH in the future! And that means that a boy is in love with a boy! And should you have a problem with THAT then by any means GO BACK!_**

**Flames will be put under the ass of the one who sent them. And I believe that that situation will be most highly uncomfortable.**

**Suggestions and comments (MEANING NOT FLAMES!) are quite appreciated being that this is my first fanfic and I will most likely need help.**

**Changed **Perspectives****

            Harry Potter had come back to his fifth year a very changed person, in the eyes of most of the Hogwarts students.

            The first thing that was noticeably different about him was the fact that he had reached his growth spurt during the summer to become about six feet tall. He no longer wore glasses, his skin looked almost bronze, and he had quite the handsome lithe built body. The second difference that was perceptible only after you had been with him for a while was the fact that he did not talk unless he felt the need.

            It became quite obvious to all abroad the Hogwarts Express on September 1, 1995 that he felt the need to talk. 

            "Would you two just shut up for once?" Harry Potter had stood up angrily from his seat next to his (former) best friends. 

            Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley stopped saying whatever they were saying at the furious yell that resounded throughout the entire back compartments of the train.

            "Harry? What's wrong with you? You haven't been listening to us at all, have you? We're worried about you Harry. You're our best friend and we don't like seeing you so miserable." Hermione replied, becoming quite angry herself.

            Harry scowled at her questions. "I don't find it amusing where you two pretend that I don't exist for two months and then decide suddenly whenever you see me again that you know me better than everyone else. You know, I find that quite bloody ridiculous. Maybe I feel miserable because you two always pretending to care as you bloody badger me to death!"

            Ron's jaw dropped at his comments, the chocolate frog that he had been about to bite down upon falling out of his mouth. "How can you say that, Harry? Hermione and I do know you better than everyone else. _I _know you probably better than you know yourself."

            "Really?" Harry replied back just as angrily. "Tell me; what is my favorite color, who is my favorite person, and what occupation do I wish to have after I graduate, and what is my favorite thing to do?"

            Ron and Hermione looked at each other and smiled. "That's really easy, Harry." Hermione said smugly. "Your favorite color is scarlet, favorite person is Dumbledore, wish to become an Auror and kill Voldemort, and love to play quidditch. Everyone knows that." Ron nodded his head to show his agreement.

            Harry just shook his head at their answers. "You got every single one of them wrong. My favorite color is emerald green as you would have known should you have cared, my favorite person is Shakespeare, I want to become a quidditch player or write when I graduate, and I love to listening to music, orchestral or vocal. I find that it is quite calming after a very hellish day. And for a bloody fact, let it be known that I want to be left alone! It seems that the person you know is Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-God-Damn-Lived-and-the-Perfect-Gryffindor and not actually Harry Potter, the boy who you don't know at all."

            "What happened to you, Harry? You're acting like a prat."

            "Seeing a person dying in front of your eyes changes your perspectives in and about life after reality hits." And with that comment, Harry strode out of the compartment and quickly into the next one he could find, ignoring the fact that it was full of fifth year Slytherins; including Draco Malfoy. He just sat down on the floor (after slamming the door rather hard and having to repair the glass) in the corner of the compartment, out of sight of the door and glass window, and pulled a book out of the pockets of his robes and started to read it.

            "Potter, what the hell do you think you are doing in here?" Pansy Parkinson shrieked from her seat next to Millicent Bulstrode.

           Harry didn't even bother to glance up. "I'm reading a book," he held up the book to show the title Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King for a short while before starting to read it again, "with Salazar. What does it look like I'm doing? Knitting some damn red and gold socks for She-Who-Thinks-She-Knows-It-All and her Trustworthy-Know-Nothing-'I-Know-You-Better-Than-You-Know-Yourself'-Sidekick?"

            The group of seven Slytherins were shocked into silence at his statement against his supposed best friends. They had of course heard the initial shout of the argument before they had wisely put up a silencing charm on the door.

            "Are you alright, Potter?" Gwendolyn Nott asked as gently as she could from beside Blaise Zabini who nodded his head vigorously.

            "And why do you give a damn?" Harry asked, turning a page in his book.

            "You were insulting your Gryffindor friends and just said that you were reading with the long-dead founder of the Slytherin house… I believe that that is a plausible reason for worrying about your sanity, Potter." Draco Malfoy stated in his typical slow speech of nonchalance.

            "Oh, Salazar?" Harry asked and he lifted his arm and pulled back the sleeve of his robe to show a petite, jet black snake wrapped around his forearm. "He's an asp. Quite poisonous. The shopkeeper in Diagon Alley didn't seem quite keen on selling him to me after reading the Rita Skeeter articles from last year. But in the end, eleven galleons changed his mind. It's a good thing, he and I talked before because I would have never paid such an appallingly high price for this wimp if he wasn't worth it."

            The Slytherins all jumped back at the sight of one of the most venomous snakes in the world on the arm of Harry Potter, the supposed Golden Boy. 

            Harry just smirked at the faces on the faces of his former most hated rivals in the entirety of Hogwarts School. "Have any of you read Hogwarts: A History?" he asked, out of the blue. The others all shook their heads negative. "I was just wondering. Never could bring myself to read the book. But have any of you heard of someone switching houses at Hogwarts?"

            "W-what?" Millicent stuttered. "You're going to switch houses?"

            "I was just thinking about it. I mean, the Sorting occurs before most have even reached puberty. And Dumbledore once told me that it is our choices that effect where the hat decides to place us. Before I came to Hogwarts, the only contact I had with the magical world was a single trip to Diagon Alley, when I met someone," he glanced pointedly at Draco, "who seemed to me to be spoiled and rude. And the only other person that I had met had said that all wizards who went into Slytherin house went bad. You could say that I was misinformed being that Gryffindors can go bad as well…"

            "So you've changed your mind about Slytherins?"

            "I just found something out about someone of the Slytherin house and their certain connection with the Malfoy family." Harry paused at that statement. "Arthur and Molly Weasley graduated from Hogwarts the year before my parents entered. And Lucius Malfoy was in his fifth year when they did enter the school. It seems that on the day of her Sorting, a little girl with no friends and the last name of Evans became a member of the Slytherin house and became friends with the prefect, Narcissa Cunningham, the girlfriend of a certain Lucius Malfoy. But of course, the little girl soon became friends with most of the Slytherins in her house. Then during her sixth and seventh year, Voldemort started recruiting members while still pretending to be a charismatic man who just believed the Ministry needed changing and many of the girl's friends joined him although she didn't. And the little girl became friends with a certain Gryffindor who still liked her even through all the bad rumors about the Slytherins. But his friends didn't like the idea of their friend being in love with a Slytherin. But after graduation the friends could all play pretend that she had never been a Slytherin at all. And then the little girl, who had long since become a woman, married her Gryffindor and had a little baby boy. But because of the war with Voldemort she was refused by all those around her to visit her former Slytherin friends… Then one day the woman faced the most dreaded evil since Grindewald and refused to give up her son. And then her son lived and became famous while she and her husband died.

            "The son was left with his Muggle relatives because he had no place else to go because although, quite a few of the former Slytherin friends offered to house the boy and to treat him like a son they were all given negative answers because the person knew that if this powerful little child was left with these people there was a chance that he would grow to hate him and not be the perfect little hero, or pawn, that he wanted the little boy to be. And so he grew up with his aunt, uncle, and cousin. He was made to be a slave, who slept in a cupboard under the stairs, and who didn't even know that his name was 'boy' or 'freak' until he was six years old and was first allowed to go to school. But school wasn't very much better for the little boy because he had no friends because of his mean, bullying cousin. Then when he turned eleven, a half-giant came to tell the little boy that he was a famous wizard. And because the half-giant was the first kind person to the little boy, he believed everything that he told him. And so the little boy believed that all Slytherins were evil. Of course, no one mentioned the fact that the little boy's mother was in Slytherin because then the little boy might want to be like her and join that house too. And of course, the person that first decided that the boy should go to the Muggles believed that he would be much harder to control his little chess piece if he was to believe that all Gryffindors weren't mighty and good.

            "And then one day, during the summer after his fourth year at Hogwarts, where he had witnessed the rebirth of his parents' murderer and the murder of a friend, the boy received a very interesting letter from a certain Narcissa Malfoy saying that she was sorry for the treatment that the boy had received from her husband but that he had been quite angry because the little boy seemed to be the same as his father, whom the husband, Lucius, believed was the reason behind the attack against the mother of the boy, whom they both had been friends with. 

            Harry smiled a little wistfully at the mention of the mother. "Then the boy decided during the summer that he wouldn't stay another day with his relatives who had done everything from starving and hitting him during the two weeks that he did stay and had packed up everything that he owned and went to the Leaky Cauldron to stay for the rest of the holidays; not caring about Voldemort. He was surprised when he received no letters from his supposed friends and then saw them one day in Diagon Alley, snogging in a corner of some shop. He listened as they talked about how they weren't going to tell him about their relationship and how the other boy, supposedly the best friend of _the boy_, was just a show off brat with a scarred forehead anyway. And so came to be that in his rage, the boy went to the nearest shop and bought every single book he could to be able to be better than the two traitors. And while he was passing by a pet shop he struck up a conversation with a certain asp. And so is told the history of Lily Evans who became a Potter, may her soul rest in peace, and her son, Harry James Potter."

            Harry smiled at the dropped jaws of the Slytherins in the compartment. But he just continued on without seeming to realize that he had just revealed more about himself to these people he rarely talked to than to his former friends whom he had believed he could tell everything to. "So how have your summers been? And none of you have answered my question about anyone ever being reSorted." 

**TBC…**

**Reviews are most welcome.**


	2. Of Shocks, Talks, and Sorting Hats

**A/N: PeachDancer82 had an interesting comment; asking about the pureblood issue in Slytherin, with Lily being in that house. Slytherin is supposedly the house of the ambitious and great friends. When Tom Riddle came to Hogwarts he was a half blood in Slytherin but he still became head boy and was seemingly popular to everyone. In my story, being a pureblood was never really put into as a really big issue until after Voldemort came into power.**

**Changed Perspectives**

            Draco Malfoy was still in a slight state of shock after hearing his school time rival talk about how his parents had actually been friends with the supposed Gryffindor Golden Boy's mother.

            "—And none of you have answered my question about anyone ever being reSorted."

            Shaking his head slightly to get rid of the daze, the blonde Slytherin blinked a few times before answering. "I have heard of someone… My great-great-great-grandfather on my mother's side was switched from Slytherin and into Ravenclaw. He lost his ambition to become the Minister of Magic and instead wanted to be a scholar so he switched houses. He hasn't been the only one. Quite a few people have switched houses over the many, many years… But most decide to stay in their original houses. House pride, you know."

            Harry nodded his head at the comment before hissed angrily at the snake that had inched off of his arm and was headed towards Millicent and Vincent Crabbe. "You'll have to excuse Salazar. He's never been around so many people and it quite curious to smell everything." Harry smiled at something that the snake had said to him. "By the way, Draco, Salazar says you smell nice… Would you mind if he sleeps on you for awhile? Trust me, he won't bite."

            Salazar crawled up Draco's leg and wrapped himself around his wrist, hissing softly. 

            The others in the compartment laughed as they saw the normally quite calm and collected fellow Slytherin nervously shake and stare at the venomous snake wrapped around his arm. All of the Slytherins were surprised to see Harry Potter smiling serenely at them and the scene that they had created.

            "Why are you staying here with us? I wouldn't think that a Gryffindor would willingly enjoy the company of the ones to join the future ranks of Voldemort." Gwendolyn asked.

            "_'_We_ know what we are, but know not what we may become.'" Harry quoted smoothly going back to reading his book. "You may become Death Eaters one day. But for now, you are quite nice in my opinion so why shouldn't I enjoy your company? It beats being alone the whole ride to school; or with a bunch of babbling, self-righteous fools." Harry glanced up for moment. "Besides, I don't believe that any of you will be joining that idiot. _'It is a wise father that knows his own child' _I find it hard that any of your parents would willingly make you join a man that would torture for everything little thing that you did wrong."_

            Harry smiled again at the faces of those around him. "You are all from pure blooded families, you all should of all people know of how the families of ancient wizards live. I know that you all don't hate each other as everyone says."

            "And how would you know?"

            "A family such as yours, Draco, can't afford to those their only heir to carry on the line. If they treated you like dirt then how could they ensure that you would not leave? And besides, you all really care for each other. I don't think that any of your parents would want you to go through what they did."

            Draco nodded; staring at his supposed nemesis. "So you're planning on leaving the Gryffindork house? That's brilliant!" Noticing everyone's questioning looks he continued. "If Harry isn't in the Gryffindor house then he can't very well be put onto the _Gryffindor quidditch team, can he? And I'd like to see those losers get on without him."_

            Harry looked pensive for a minute. "I never really thought about that. Mind you, Fred and George are both awesome and so are Angelina, Katie, and Alicia. I never thought that I'd have to give up quidditch though."

            Pansy shrieked looking scandalized. "Who do you think that you are kidding? Once you get into the Slytherin house, which I am most assured that you will, you'll automatically be put as Seeker. Draco's been wanting to play this other position as well for awhile but no one was even good enough as Seeker to even try to be able to reach a millimeter high on your quidditch skills chart." 

            Grinning, Harry turned to Draco. "What position would you play? I always thought beater was the second best position on the entire team—"

            "Damn straight," Blaise interrupted. "But you got one minor detail wrong. The beater is the _best position on the team." Of course, it happened to be where Blaise was a beater on the Slytherin quidditch team. "The last beater, Avery, graduated at the end of our third year."_

            "If you do get put into Slytherin, I want to definitely play beater, although I will miss being the Seeker…" Draco said.

            Harry smirked. "I have the most excellent game plan imaginable—" Everyone leaned forward to listen to what he had to say. "But I can't tell you it until after I see if I can be reSorted and put into Slytherin…"

            Everyone in the compartment, excepting Harry, groaned at the failure to hear the plan. "Sorry, no can leak plans yet."

            The compartment door opened as the woman with the trolley of foods and candies came by. Before she could even attempt to say her traditional line of 'anything off the trolley's, dears?' Draco and Blaise all quickly stood up.

            "We'll have the same that we get every year, Ms. Plumeria with an extra serving being that Harry has finally joined us here."

            The lady handed the two boys a stack of cauldron cakes, licorice wands, every flavor beans, chocolate frogs and even a few apples with caramel dipping sauce as Blaise handed over a galleon and one knut. Harry was about to put in some money when Millicent slapped his hand away. "It's a tradition. Two people always pay for the food, different people every trip. Today's a treat for us on them."

            "Good thing that Salazar's already eaten." He said smiling, finally putting down his book as a small stash of food was handed over to him. "So who's a prefect?" he asked, making conversation.

            "Draco," Pansy said. "And none of us wanted to take the second job… So, oh! There's an open position just waiting for you, Harry!" She added slyly. "Should you care to join…?"

            The rest of the trip to Hogwarts passed by relatively quietly being that no one dared to go into the Slytherin compartment.

            Finally when the time came to change into their robes, Harry had to leave the compartment along with the other boys but instead of heading to go to the restrooms he had to go back to the compartment he knew housed Weasley and Granger to get his trunk which contained his robes. As he walked into the compartment, he instantly realized that Ron and Hermione were talking angrily about him to Fred, George, and all of the fifth year boys of Gryffindor. Harry just ignored them all and the silence in the area and grabbed his trunk and went back out of the compartment again.

            "Harry! Harry, wait up!"

            The green-eyed boy turned around to see Fred, George, and Seamus running up behind him. "What do you want?" he asked, suspiciously.

            "Oh, come on, Harry! You're still _our friend, even if you're not Ron and Hermione's. I'm positive that Nev and Dean are too…" Seamus said. "How was your summer?"_

            "It was hell, how 'bout yours?"

            "Not that bad." Seamus answered. "We've got to go change. Talk to you later, Harry." He said smiling.

            Harry couldn't help but smile back slightly as the three boys ran off to go change. "Yeah, I'll talk to you later, if you still will after tonight—when I'm not going to be a Gryffindor anymore."

            As soon as he got of the carriages in front of Hogwarts Castle, Harry quickly ran up the stone steps and into the Entrance Hall before going into the Great Hall and heading swiftly to where Professor Dumbledore was sitting ignoring all of the other teachers. "Hello, professor." He said in a voice that showed quite readily that he didn't really want to be speaking with the man. "I'm ready."

            "Are you sure about this Harry?" Dumbledore asked one more time. "I don't understand why you wouldn't want to be in Gryffindor."

            "Yes, professor, I'm positive and my reasons are my own."

            Albus Dumbledore sighed and pulled off the sorting hat from the stool next to him. "Let's do this in the side room," he said. "Just for a little bit more privacy." The two of them headed out a side door into the lit chamber that Harry remembered from Halloween night the previous year. "And just for one last time, are you sure Harry?"

            Harry scowled at the headmaster. "Yes, I am abso-blooming-lutely positive about my decision—so will you just cut to the damn chase and put the hat on my head?"

            Albus started at the angry tone in the boy's voice. "Harry, are you quite alright?"

            "Yes, headmaster, I am perfectly alright. You see, I've been studying about chess and just came to some amazing revelations this summer… Not that you'd like to hear it all, I'm sure… So if you will please?"

            Dumbledore reluctantly placed the hat upon Harry's head. Instantly the hat started whispering into Harry's ear.

            "You seem to visit me more than any other student, Mr. Potter. What is it that you would like this time? ReSorting?" 

            "Yes."

            "Let's see—I never really did think that Gryffindor was right for you but you were so insistent. Yes, you do have much of your father in you but more of your mother than you would think. No, Gryffindor was never the house for you. Ravenclaw would be understandable—what with your knowledge but I do believe that we both know what house to which you truly belong. Yes, yes, they will lead you to greatness, Harry Potter. You may be a true Gryffindor, but a true Slytherin as well… Yes, yes I do believe that Mr. Riddle did leave some of the Slytherin genes behind in you. Not that that's a bad thing at all! Just as long as you make wise decisions and wiser friends. As the real sorting time should be nearing, I should say—

            "SLYTHERIN!"

            Harry smiled and pulled the hat, handing it to Dumbledore without looking into his face and walked out of the room. As he headed out to where the school was waiting, the first years looking rather nervous in front of the rest of the student body, he noticed the badge on his robes changing from the scarlet and gold crest into the emerald and silver one. He quickly walked over and sat down next to Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini. The school seemed to give a collective gasp at the sight. Harry just ignored them as always and said hi to all those around him.

            And as Dumbledore walked into the hall with the sorting hat in hand. He made a quick announcement. "As you all have seen, Harry Potter has indeed decided to leave the Gryffindor house and is now a member of the Slytherin. And now for the Sorting to start."

            And so, Harry sat by his new friends, whispering with them about who they all thought would be placed in what house.

**TBC…**

**A/N: Thanks to all the reviewers so far… Bonnie, Jen, hippy flower, PeachDancer82, Usagi Serenity Yui Cosmos, Catchit, anna may, Guardian of Dreams, Patchfire, Kou Da Cutie, renren, thistle5, sltherinwannabe, blank, ****and Areviewer. **If anyone wants to be emailed for updates, just leave your email address in a review or email me asking for it.****

**Suggestions for story—**

**            Should I have…**

**1) **Harry hate Dumbledore throughout the entire story or****

**2) **Have Dumbledore's actions be explained?****

**3) **Fred, George, and Seamus (others if wanted) remain friends with Harry or****

**4) **Have them hate him?****

**5) **Have Draco like Harry first or****

**6) **Vise versa?****

**Suggestions and reviews are gladly accepted.**


	3. Of Little Boys, Big Words, and Slytherin

**Changed Perspectives**

            Draco leaned over to where Harry was watching the Sorting. "Bet the boy third from the right end will be in Slytherin," he whispered into Harry's ear. Harry looked over to where Draco was signaling and saw a small little boy with auburn hair and sparkling hazel eyes. The boy looked timorous and as unsure that Harry was sure that he felt the day that he had been originally Sorted.

            "You have got to be joking," Harry said looking at the boy again. "Do you know who that is?"

            "No, but he does seem like the ambitious, cunning, Slytherin type." Draco said, smirking again.

            "You really have got to be joking," Harry said again. "He looks more like a boy suffering from acrophobia that's been told to fly a broom to the top of the astronomy tower. Way too nervous; definitely a Hufflepuff or Gryffindor."

            "O'Connor, Shawn!" Minerva McGonagall called. And the boy that Harry and Draco had been watching quickly walked forward to the stool and jumped when the sorting hat was placed on his head. After about a minute the sorting hat announced its decision—

            "SLYTHERIN!"

            Harry's jaw dropped and Draco laughed outright at his stunned face. "I only speak the truth*."

            "You rigged this—you had to have rigged this. What are you? A Seer?" The little boy, Shawn O'Connor, walked forward and sat down at the near the end of the table, about five seats down and on the same side as Harry and Draco. Harry thought of a capricious idea looked up to the Head Table to discreetly check and make sure that none of the teachers were watching him. Putting a finger to his lips to indicate silence to the Slytherins in front of him in an ephemeral manner, he grabbed the Slytherin accused of being supercilious, Draco Malfoy, and pulled him to the ground behind the bench. Vince (Crabbe) and Greg (Goyle) scooted towards each other on the bench a little to make the space between more obscure to prying eyes who would wonder why there was such a gap in the space at the table.

            The Slytherin table was at the far right of the Great Hall, opposite of the Gryffindors and next to the Ravenclaws so when Harry dragged Draco down to the stone floor they were placed up against a wall. "What are you doi—" Draco started to ask before Harry silenced him with a glare and he crawled to his right a few feet before sitting on the bench again abruptly, six seats down from where he had been before. Draco muttered darkly to himself about 'fickle former Gryffindorks' but he went as sat beside Harry as well. "Now can you tell me what in Slytherin's name that was for?" he whispered heatedly to Harry in a voice with no mitigation of severity.

            The newly appointed Slytherin just smiled enigmatically to him before turning to face a boy sitting in front of him. "Hey, you must be Shawn O'Connor, if I remember correctly." Harry stated stretching his hand out for the anxious first year to shake.

            "I'm Harry Potter and this is my friend Draco Malfoy. You'll probably hear a lot of stories of a lot of rivalries between us while you're here." Draco snorted at that comment. "Anyways, you can call me Harry unless some better name should come along and call this idiot next to me," at that point he gestured at Draco, "anything you want. But I suggest such names as ignoramus, imbecile, snoot, spoiled rich kid, et cetera. You'll soon find out that Draco here loves and that needs attention very much. 

            Draco rolled his eyes. "You can call me Draco, nothing else."

            The little boy gave a small smile. "It's nice to meet you two; you can call me Shawn and should any of those other names be aimed towards me in a manner not of friendly jest then I will be spending all my time in the library here looking up all possible curses imaginable for the day I can face you."

            The two elder Slytherins just smirked at that statement. Harry then leaned over the table and spoke a conspirator's voice. "Have you ever met this man as told him of your ambition to become a member of the Slytherin house? Did you ever tell him that you were going to be in Slytherin?"

            The boy just shock his head looking confused but Draco just laughed uproariously, no trace of malice on his face or his actions, at that comment, but luckily the Slytherin table had just received the last student of the Sorting, Selene Yerington and the applause drowned out that sound.

            Then the headmaster stood up and called for the feast. Food instantly appeared on the golden plated, and Draco and Harry said good-bye before walking to their former place at the table to talk about quidditch and other subjects over the delectable food being eaten.

            Vince leaned back to look behind Draco's back to a question to Harry about something he had been wondering about. "So what was the quidditch strategy?" he questioned eagerly.

            Harry just grinned and mysteriously answered. "I'll tell you later, in the dark of the night…" after saying that he laughed heartily. "It makes it seems so much more secret when you do it that way…"

            Desserts appeared then disappeared as the time passed on. Then Albus Dumbledore stood to speak, giving his traditional beginning of the year speech and announcements and also informing them all that Filch's list of prohibited items for the school now reached the new high of five-hundred-forty-nine.

            The Great Hall was almost empty as Harry stood up from the table in order to follow Draco and the others towards the Slytherin Common Room he was stopped by Ron and Hermione.

            "What the bloody hell do you think that you are doing, Harry?" Ron shouted at him from his point three feet away from Harry's face. "You're a _Slytherin_? Are you planning on being a Death Eater as well? Or have you already joined him?" he asked malevolently.

            Before even Harry could whip out his wand to curse his former friend, before Draco or any of the other fifth year Slytherins could grab their wands, a little boy ran forward and kicked Ron in the shin. "Never insult Harry Potter, you—you—conceited, haughty, pompous fool!" was shouted at Ron who had bent down to grip his leg as he squealed in pain for a few seconds.

            The red headed Gryffindor was faced with an equally red headed (although it was a more of an auburn) Slytherin with blazing hazel eyes. The boy was instantly recognizable as Shawn O'Connor. "My father and my mother are both Aurors, did you know?" the boy asked again. "And did you also know that they were both in _Slytherin_? I might be three or four years younger than you but at least I have some maturity and brains to realize that Slytherin isn't the epiphany of evil while you fastidious Gryffindors are all holy and good. I'll have you know that my parents have caught evil wizards, and that does not mean only Death Eaters, that have been known to be Gryffindors. Take a reality check; you really need one. Do you comprehend what I am saying here?" He only received shocked stares. "Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth?*" he said directly into the Gryffindors' faces.

            _Almost _everyone of that group was shocked the speech with _really big words from a little boy who had seemed so timid beforehand. But Draco only smiled and leaned over to his friends around him. "He's a Slytherin all the way, I told you."_

            Shawn smirked at everyone before turning around walking away. 

            Draco noticed quite a few of the first years that had stayed behind looking around for the person supposed to be guiding them to their dormitories. "Crap." He said. "I have to go with the firsties to lead them to the dorms." Draco ran off and the other Slytherins watched as Ron and Hermione glared at them before walking away. But before they too could leave, Seamus Finnegan and the Weasley twins ran forward.

            "Bloody brilliant show!" Seamus cried as he hugged Harry tightly. "You should have seen Ron's face!"

            "Er, Seamus, I wasn't acting."

            "We know," Fred and George answered at once. "So we wanted to ask you if you could tell that sixth year Keeper on your quidditch team… What's his name? Devon Bletchley? Will you tell Devon that we were glad to do business with him and his Weasley's Wizard Wheezes order will be to him within the next week?"

            The three Gryffindors walked away after saying their good-byes. "Now those are the types of Weasleys I appreciate," Pansy said watching the twins go away. "They actually have goals in life unlike the other Weasley."

            Harry turned to look at Pansy. "Bill and Charlie, the eldest two, are actually quite nice. I think you could come to like them. But even I, who was friends with the git, have to admit that Ron is an insufferable prat."

            "Mr. Potter."

            Harry whipped around to see Professor Severus Snape standing behind him, looking at him grimly and down at him only slightly, being that Harry was almost to his height. "Yes, professor?"

            "The headmaster would like to speak with us in his office now. Draco will be joining us there soon."

            Harry nodded to show his acquiesce before turning to say good-bye to his friends. He grinned nervously to them as his eyes jerked to Snape. Pansy just smiled, and Millicent mouthed to him, 'Don't worry. He's not going to bite.'

            The newly inducted Slytherin just arched one of his fine eyebrows and turned to follow his professor. They walked silently for a moment before Severus deemed it time for him to speak. "I suppose that this is the time where I am supposed to say 'welcome to Slytherin, Harry' but I will not. I will say this however, now that you are a Slytherin, you live up to Slytherin standards. You are no longer to slack off in classes or allowed to be stupid enough to get caught during any rule-breaking excursions. No Slytherin ever betrays one of their own. So I will in no circumstances tolerate a spell used against your own house mate with out a very good reason. Do you understand me?"

            "Of course, professor."

            Snape glanced at him before walking up to the stone gargoyle leading to Albus Dumbledore's office. "Sour Punch." They walked into the office and Albus waved his arm, motioning for them to sit.

            "We just have to wait for Mr. Malfoy to arrive." Draco waltzed into the room and took a seat next to Harry. Albus sat down behind his desk and started to talk. "I just brought you in here to see if you, Harry, would like to become a Slytherin prefect as you would have been the Gryffindor one. If you accept, then Draco will tell you of the privileges you are granted."

            "I would like that." Harry answered, rather stiffly. "May I leave now?"

            Albus shook his head. "I was wondering Harry what suddenly brought around your sudden decision to switch houses…"

            "And I am wondering why that is any of your business?" Harry retorted.

            Severus and Draco both gasped at that comment coming from the Gryffindor Golden Boy, well, the _former Gryffindor Golden Boy._

            "Harry, you know that Gryffindor was your father's house and I was just asking why you would want to leave—"

            "Maybe I have more in common with my mother than originally thought, Professor Dumbledore, and have learned the amazing game and reality of chess."

            "Harry, I was just doing what was best for you. Why do you seem to hate me so?"

            The emerald eyed boy glared at his headmaster. "You were doing what was best for me? Or best for your pawn? You knew that I was being mistreated at the Dursleys; you knew of how they all hated magic. And yet you reckon it safe enough for me to stay there. You do what's best in your own eyes without thinking of what other's believe. Life isn't chess and people aren't the pieces. And don't ever flatter yourself by thinking that I hate you. My hatred exists for only Voldemort and Wormtail at this moment and no one else. You have my utmost distrust though. I may not hate you but I will never trust you."

            Harry smiled fallaciously at the shocked three faces surrounding him before turning. "That felt good to get out into the open, didn't it?" he asked, as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. Albus just nodded his head before handing Harry his new and shiny prefect pin. The teenager pinned it onto his robes whose badge had changed to show the Slytherin crest before walking out of the room with a blasé good-night.

            Severus gave Draco some information and when the younger Slytherin noticed that since neither of the two professors he was with was going to talk to him he was free to go. He ran out of the office and down the corridor to where Harry was headed. He realized that the former Gryffindor seemed to know exactly where he was supposed to be heading. "Where are you going?" he asked, anyway.

            "To the Slytherin dormitories it seems, doesn't it?" Harry answered back shortly. "It's quite a long story about how I got to know the location of where it was, even though I only got a short time in the Common Room, I believe. Quite dark and depressing it seemed to be to me. But then again that was in the winter break of our second year when I believed that all things associated with Slytherin were dark, dreary, and evil."

            Draco turned sharply to Harry. "How in Slytherin's name did you manage to get into our Common Room?"

            "Tell all later." Harry said, smiling again truly since entering the headmaster's office. "I can't remember how to get to the Common Room from this point. So you'll have to lead now."

            Draco scowled slightly. "You are going to do a lot of explaining once we get to our rooms." He then smiled and laughed and started to jog down the hallway. "Hurry up… Professor Snape says that since we're both prefects we get a room for just us to stay in! More room! Come on, I hear that it's below the Circle."

*

            Harry was shocked by the Slytherin Common Room and dormitories. They were not at all as he remembered. The common room had five foot tall windows up near the ceiling and was in a circular shape. The divans were of the softest and finest leather and the round fireplace gave off a feeling of warmth to the congregated students.

            "The entrance to this room may be in the dungeons but the dormitories are not. We share one tower that goes up many feet. Don't worry though, the staircases move upwards by themselves and quickly, like the headmaster's. The regular boys' dorms are up the left spiraling staircase and the girls' are on the right. Our dorm will be up the middle staircase; that's where all the prefect rooms and (if they are Slytherin) head-boy or head-girl rooms are located. The head-boy this year is some Ravenclaw and the head-girl I heard was that girl Gryffindor, Angelina Johnson. The middle staircase also leads to the Circle."

            "What is the Circle?" Harry asked.

            "It was called the Circle Room but then everyone just started calling it the Circle years ago. It is at the very top of our tower and has a glass ceiling and roof so that we can do our astronomy homework here instead of going to that tower. It has an excellent view of the grounds, lake, and quidditch field. It's a lot nicer there than down here. But you are only admitted into the room if you are passing all your classes. And the middle staircase also goes down one level to our own library; it contains books that have been collected over the many and many years. No one is to know of it or the Circle outside of Slytherin."

            It was then that Isabelle Carnahan, the well-known and liked sixth year prefect and Slytherin Keeper, stood up and quieted the room. It was then that Harry realized that the room was still filled with all the students. "I would like to welcome everyone back to or for the first to Slytherin!" Cheers filled the room. "As today is Friday and there will be no classes tomorrow, I will not have to give the Slytherin rules tonight. Tomorrow, our head of house will at eleven o'clock in the morn so be down here by then. And everyone," she said, "Harry Potter is now one of our own so we will not be rude to him anymore! Is that understood?" Harry colored slightly as quite a few people looked towards him and all positively answered. "Now, time for bed! Good-night, everyone!"

            And so the Slytherins all retired for the night.

**TBC…**

**A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! It was awesome reading all of your suggestions and after taking into consideration all of your arguments I have come up with my decisions. But as this is my first slash I will still need suggestions on how to get the two boys to realize their affections for each other.**

**Story Ideas:**

**            Should Snape—**

**a) **remain a bastard towards Harry****

**b) **or accept him and actually treat him fairly despite who his father was****

**Should Narcissa Malfoy—**

**a) **write to Harry about his mother again****

**b) **or visit alongside Lucius for an upcoming quidditch match****

**            All other ideas are readily accepted!**


	4. Of New Rooms, Cloaks, and Pictures

**John: _All fan fictions are out of character because none of us are the real author so we might as well have fun with it._**

**Dark Fairy: I wasn't meaning to have the library and such being special privileges so to say. The library was purely developed by left behind books of former students collected over the years. And I thought the Circle was an interesting setting for later parts of the story. **

**KittenBabyGirl**** knew what two movies the quotes from last chapter were from and **Eva Phoenix Potter **knew one of them. **

**I only speak the truth is from Moulin Rouge and **can you understand the words coming out of my mouth is** from Rush Hour (personally I thought a ton more people would know that...)**

**Changed Perspectives**

            Harry went to the middle staircase of the tower and stepped on it, grabbing the railings as it jolted forward. He gingerly stepped out onto a landing where a sign read _Fifth Year Male Prefect(s) and opened the door and walked into the threshold of the room._

            The room had a window on the opposite side of the entrance and the walls (or would it just be a wall because the room is circular?) were painted a slightly tarnished silver (so as to not make the room too shiny) and the floor was made of varnished oak with green Persian rugs. The ceiling had a painting of what seemed to be an vision of Olympus; complete with all the Greek gods and goddesses. On either side of the window was a four poster bed with silver hangings, black sheets, and a green comforter. Beside the beds were mahogany desks with a small empty bookshelf and wardrobe next to it. Harry went to the bed on the right where he saw his trunk at the foot of the bed. He went down to his knees and opened the trunk to start unpacking by himself. Draco had said that he would be up shortly with the other fifth years to talk of inconsequential things.

Harry pulled out his robes and placed them all on clothes hangers in the wardrobe. They all had the Slytherin emblem already fixed upon them. He then pulled out all his summer assignments and placed them on the desk alongside all his school books. He put Hedwig's cage off to the side because she wouldn't be needing it and placed Salazar onto his bed. Now it was down to his very few personal items. The Firebolt was placed beside the trunk for the moment being and Harry pulled out his photo album with all of his parents' pictures on the bedside table. All of the presents that he had received from his former friends stayed in his trunk. But then, Harry's most prized possession came out; just as he pulled out the invisibility cloak the door to the dormitory opened and Harry could hear Pansy gasp as she walked into the room to see Harry holding up the cloak. 

"Is that what I think it is?" she asked as she walked forward with the others. She reached out to touch it before pulling her hand back quickly. "Where on earth did you find an invisibility cloak?"

Harry smiled as he handed it to her for her to hold. "It's okay to touch it. That's the one possession that I own that belonged to my father except this piece of parchment that has disappeared. I like to think of the cloak as a little connection to my parents."

Draco took the cloak from Pansy and handed it back to Harry. "I'd keep that very safe, if I were you. Keep it in your trunk. I know a ton of people that would kill for one of those things."

"Now come on." Draco grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him down to the center of the room and sat down next to him on the emerald green rug. Pansy, Millicent, Gwendolyn (Nott), Blaise, Vince, and Greg followed suit. "Tonight's the 'Meet Your Year Mates' night. So I'll go first," Draco said. And Harry noticed what a beautiful smile Draco had, with no hidden malice or unclear intentions. Just seemingly happy to be there.

"My name is Draco Xavier Malfoy. I am fifteen years old. My birthday is January 20, 1980 and my parents are Lucius and Narcissa Cunningham-Malfoy. Both my parents were in Slytherin as well. I am an only child and have no cousins or extended family that I know of. I love quidditch and like the positions Seeker and Beater the best. I will under no circumstances play Keeper because that makes me nervous having everyone trying to score goals past you. My favorite color is light blue and I love potions. I have an owl named Oz. I am also a homosexual as is known by everyone in this room, my family, and this entire house except Harry."

Everyone turned to see what Harry's reaction would be. The new Slytherin felt his jaw drop in shock. "Y—you are gay?" Draco seemed kind of nervous about how Harry would respond. "That's a bit of a shock—if you know what I mean. And here I was think that you and Pansy were already planning a marriage and future for eight years into the horizon. Wow, next thing I'm going to hear is that Voldemort loves fluffy, brown puppies and buys them squeaky toys in the shapes of bones and other things from his local Muggle pet shop."

The Slytherins around him all laughed. "So you don't mind really?" Draco asked. It felt really important to him that he knew.

"Who am I to judge? I've never actually really been interested in someone where I couldn't do anything but think of them and I've only had one crush in my life. For all I know I may be one as well and not have a clue. It never seemed important before."

Gwendolyn Nott nodded. "Well, my turn. I'm Gwendolyn Cassandra Nott but you can call me Gwen. I rarely talk outside of this house, I do my school work, and I am going to beat that damn Granger this year in classes. I might I add that I am gorgeous?" Gwen had black hair that went down to her waist and baby blue eyes. She batted her eyelashes in order to emphasize her previous comment. "Oh, I have been going out with a _sixth_ year, Damien Adams who's a Chaser for our marvelous quidditch team."

Pansy just shook her head and laughed at her mock-vain friend. "I'm Pansy Marie Parkinson and I'm blonde with brown eyes as you can see. I have trouble in some of my classes but I pass with reasonable grades. My favorite subject is history of magic because I can sleep through it but transfiguration is my second. I like changing things into what I want. And I am not going out with Draco and only did last year at the Yule Ball. But Blaise is my boyfriend. Draco and I are like siblings and that would just be disgusting having us together."

"Blaise Andrew Zabini, Slytherin, Beater, fifth year, and that is all that is needed to be known to all."

Vince spoke for Greg and himself. "Our favorite subject is defense. I like writing and Greg likes reading more. We aren't failures despite what people think. And for God's sake we are not bodyguards."

Everyone looked to Harry. "Oh—well. I guess it's my turn then. I'm Harry James Potter as you all know. My birthday is July 31 and my parents were James and Lily Potter. I have an aunt, uncle, and cousin whom all hate me. I absolutely love quidditch. And have played the position of Seeker. My favorite color in the world is green and I like Shakespeare, a Muggle playwright, and Robert Frost, a Muggle poet. I also have found that I like to paint, sketch, and just about any other type of artwork. I have an owl named Hedwig and a snake that is sleeping right now on my bed named Salazar… That's all that is really worth telling at the moment."

Right after he finished speaking, Blaise jumped forward and sat directly in front of Harry and started waving his hands around as if he was trying to hypnotize the boy by him. "You are going to tell me what your marvelous, amazing, wonderful quidditch tactic right now. It's nighttime now and you said that you would tell in the dark and now let's talk!"

Harry jumped back as Blaise stared at him with a slightly maniac gleam in his eyes. "I was just thinking Draco and I both play Seeker and like Beater. I don't want to take away Draco's position but I don't want to not play it. Just think what if both Draco and I played Seeker."

"But you can't do that..."

"No, what I'm saying is that Blaise is the constant Beater so all the teams know how he plays and the teams know how Draco and I play so they can get prepared to face us playing the positions that they think that we will be playing. Draco will play Seeker and Beater while I play the position that he isn't. That way if let's say we're going to be playing the Ravenclaw team. They will think that Blaise and Draco will be playing Beater and I will be the Seeker but instead Blaise and I will be the Beaters and Draco will be the Seeker. It's perfect. They won't know what tactics to play against what three players until right when the game starts! And then they'll have to compromise whatever they planned for. This will only work the first few games though before the people figure out that we switch. But even then we can go at a random pattern."

"And here we were for four years thinking Harry Potter had no brains and just good luck…" Blaise said. "By God, he's a bloody genius! Why didn't I think of that before?"

Harry laughed along with everyone else. "I'm tired so I'll be taking my shower and going to bed," he went to his trunk and grabbed his toiletry items. He then walked to where the door leading to the bathroom was and walked inside, closing the door behind him*.

The leather-bound photo album fell off of Harry's bedside table and lay open on the ground. Pansy stood up to go put the book back in its proper place when she saw a picture with Lily holding a baby Harry in front of a pond or creek somewhere at sunset. She walked over to all the gathered Slytherins and showed them the picture. "Isn't that the sweetest thing you have ever seen?"

Pansy, Millicent, and Gwen all oohed and ahhed at the pictures of the baby Harry and his parents. "How romantic is that?" they pointed out the picture of James and Lily's wedding. "They all look so happy." After a few more minutes of goggling at the pictures, the occupants left the room, except Draco, whom they all told their good-byes to.

Draco gathered up his shower items and knocked loudly on the bathroom door. "Harry, will you please hurry up? I have to take a shower as well!"

The door opened before Draco could bang on it again and Harry stepped out grinning and rolling his eyes at his roommate. His hair was still slightly wet and he was clad in only a pair of green pajama bottoms and a black sleeveless top. As Harry turned to go to his bed, Draco followed him with his gaze before shaking his head to clear his thoughts and going into the shower.

By the time he came out of the room, Harry was already sound asleep on his bed and Draco followed soon after.

**TBC…**

**This chapter was mostly written to show interaction between the characters and give a little information about each of them. **

**Story Ideas:**

**            Who should show their face first for the visit to the school (more than one allowed)—**

**a) **Sirius ****

**b) **Narcissa ****

**c) **Lucius (his connection with Voldemort will be put into more detail)****

**d) **Other (come up with someone by yourself)****

**            Should Shawn O'Connor be—**

**a) **be 'attacked' by Ron and 'saved' by Fred, George, and Seamus (who say they are friends of Harry's)****

**b) **same scenario and saved by Harry or some other Slytherin (give choice of who)****

**            Any more opinions? Questions? Suggestions? Feel free to tell me.**


	5. Of Sunrises, Fights, and Little Brothers

**Sorry this took so long to get out. But I've been having to study for my end of the year tests and the teachers have been giving in their last bursts of homework before school ends (May 30!).**

**I made the chapter a little bit longer than normal as compensation so I hope you enjoy and don't get too bored with its length.**

**And just to say… I do take into consideration all the answers to the suggestions that I receive but they usually don't (if at all) appear in the next chapter right away. So if you're waiting for certain events to happen, be patient and it will come up eventually.**

**Changed Perspectives**

            _Eyes of the purest blue with hints of silver stared down into the emerald and gold-specked eyes below them.__ "Have you never heard of the Songs of Solomon before, my beloved __Phoenix_?" __

_            "No, dear Dragon, I haven't. What are they about?"_

_            "Possibly some of the most romantic words ever written by mankind." A pause was given for a tender kiss on the corner of the lips. "The beginning verse goes like this: 'Let him kiss me with kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.' And that is just a sample."_

_            Emerald eyes blinked lazily at the figure above as lips moved towards the blonde's ear. "Have you heard of the poem 'Longing' by Matthew Arnold? That is qualified as love, unrequited, but love none the less."_

_            "Care to tell?"_

_            "The first four lines, and the last four for that matter, go as such…" The mouth passed gently over lips before moving back to the ear to whisper._

_            'Come to me in my dreams, and then_

_            By day I shall be well again._

_            For the night will more than pay_

_            The hopeless longing of the day."_

_            Blue eyes sparkled at the whispered words. "The words are very beautiful, Harry, but nothing can ever compare to you…"_

            Draco sat up quickly as he heard his alarm clock go off at six o'clock the next morning.

            "What the bloody hell is that?" Harry groaned from the other side of the room as he opened his curtains around his bed and stumbled out of his bed, angry hissing coming from Salazar as his slumber was interrupted. "Why in Merlin's name is there a miniature dragon roaring by your bed?" Harry glanced at an ornate grandfather clock with the moon phases across its face along the deeply shadowed wall by the window. "The sun isn't even up yet! And it's only five forty-five in the morning! What on earth? This is a Saturday for Merlin's sakes. I'm going back to bed."

            Draco closed his eyes as he tried to remember his dream and ignore his new found friend's ranting (he was clearly not a morning person) but decided it was a futile attempt and just grabbed Harry's arm. "First of all, that miniature dragon is my clock. Just rub his belly to see the time in the air. And second of all, you are not going to bed so hurry up and get dressed. We only have a few minutes."

            Harry blearily blinked his eyes and Draco suddenly had a vision of emerald and gold eyes blinking just as so on a face with kiss-swollen lips whispering words of endearment. As it seemed that the other boy wasn't about to move any time soon, Draco went to his own wardrobe and pair of tight-fitting black slacks, an undershirt, and an emerald green button down shirt and tossed them to Harry.

            "I noticed that you don't have very many clothes that fit outside of our school uniforms. We seem to be about the same size and height," Draco looked at his friend's almost six foot tall form, "so borrow these. First Hogsmeade trip we are going to be going to Gladrags to get some better clothes for you on account."

            Harry just nodded tiredly, barely registering the words, as he pulled on the clothes in his side of the room with his back to Draco. After the two finished dressing Draco led them out of the room, Harry still stumbling slightly and mumbling about early-morning weirdoes. "With you please explain why we are going upstairs right now?"

            "To watch the sunrise, of course."

            Draco opened the door at the top of the moving steps and pulled Harry into the Circle and over the to observation deck. And so they watched the sun rise that early Saturday morning.

*

            Four and a half hours later Harry and Draco were down in the Slytherin common room after breakfast with Blaise, Greg, and Vince. The latter three of the five were laughing uproariously. "So Draco woke you up for his annual watch the sun rise on the first morning back at Hogwarts tradition?"

            "Yes." Harry stated with a fake little pout on his face.

            Draco snorted. "Have none of you ever heard of carpe diem? Seize the day! Now, can you do that snoring in your beds until the last possible moment to wake up before becoming late?"

            The green-eyed Slytherin just rolled his eyes. "I tend to go more for the carpe noctem motto. Seize the night." At everyone's skeptical glances he said. "What can I say? I live for the night."

            Draco seemed to go into an unnoticed daze that the last three words that were spoken. _For the night._

            "The wizarding world savior, a person of the dark of night? Who would have thought?" Blaise asked.

            "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

            I took the one less traveled by,

            And that has made all the difference." Harry quoted smoothly as a retort. "What else can I say? I guess I'm just not one to go with the flow."

            "Did you just make that up right now? It was a nice poem." Vince asked. "I could never write anything that well."

            "No, I didn't write it. It's from a poem called 'The Road Not Taken' by Robert Frost. It's one of my favorites."

            Isabelle Carnahan stood up and shouted. "Everyone be quiet! Professor Snape will be here shortly. I need everyone to find their year mates and sit in a group together with them. And don't misbehave when our head of house arrives."

            A few minutes later, everyone had separated into their different level groups and Severus Snape walked into the common room.

            "Welcome back to the Slytherin house and for the first time first years and Mr. Potter." Harry kept an emotionless gaze as almost everyone turned to look at him for a moment. "This morning, we will discuss the expectations of our house. And I am sorry that I will be taking away from your Saturday but this will only take a moment. First of all, I will not tolerate anyone insulting or purposing harming any of their housemates in am occasion out of jest and self-protection. That includes in harming Harry Potter. Second, should you decide to break any rules, I do not want to hear a wind of it unless it is for an important reason. This does not include going to a broom shed for a quick snog. If you need any examples of reasons to break rules and what are some idiotic bonehead ways to get caught, then ask Harry Potter, if he wishes to answer."

            Harry was surprised to notice that the professor had a slight smile on his face while gazing around at the students. "Has he been drinking lately?" he leaned over to whisper to Draco.

            "No. He just acts like a mean bastard outside of the Slytherin house. Of course, then again, he is mean bastard most the time. But he's not as harsh and cruel as most people believe."

            "As we do every year, we will be assigning a first year to every sixth year for the first month of school to help the new students learn their way around. Throughout the school year, and the next one as well, these older students will become your mentors, first years. They are known as your big brother or sister.

            "Fifth and seventh years will be required to spend at least twenty minutes every weeknight from now on studying and/or reading a recommended book for their level. I know that O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s are months away but I will have you be as prepared as possible so that you may get the best scores possible for your abilities. If you ever need help practicing a spell do not be afraid to ask me." Snape looked to the two age groups he was talking about.

            "I trust that Isabelle has already assigned a first year to a fellow student."

            "I wasn't able to Severus…"

            Snape interrupted her. "That reminds me. If you should ever have any problems; school, family, or even about the Death Eaters, do not be afraid to come and talk to me. I am almost always willing to listen. And you may call me Severus in private. But never when anyone outside of this house or their families is present."

            He turned back to look at Isabelle. "I wasn't able to put a first year to every sixth because we have more first years this year than sixth. Shawn O'Connor doesn't have a partner."

            "Ah." Severus looked around the room. "I noticed yesterday that Harry has already seemed to have become friends with Shawn. So I hope you don't mind becoming his 'big brother' as you haven't had this experience before…"

            "That'll be fine."

            "Good. I believe that is all I have to talk about this morning. Enjoy the rest of your day. And study times start this coming Monday." Severus left the room and Harry went over to sit by Shawn.

            "So, little brother, where do you want to go?"

Shawn glanced up towards the high windows and the blue sky with large white cumulous clouds. "Outside looks nice, can we go?"

"Of course."

"See you all later." Harry and Shawn went over to the section of the wall that was the exit of the common room and pulled down the torch next to it and went out as the wall opened fully.

As they walked towards the entrance hall to go outside, Harry started explaining everything he could about Hogwarts and the grounds. "Of course, there are many other doors leading outside, but they mostly go into gardens the size of a small vegetable patch to one that may rival the palace at Versailles or so I've heard. Other doors lead to small courtyard where you can go outside to do homework and such.

They climbed up a small stone staircase to reach the level above. "As you have probably noticed, you cannot use the portraits and suits of armor as landmarks because they all move."

Shawn sighed as he looked around the hallway. "Too bad there isn't just a map of this place somewhere… I mean, well, I know that Hogwarts is magical and that it changes all the time but there has to be a magical map of this place somewhere."

Harry started at that comment. "I had one."

"What?" Shawn asked.

"Promise you won't tell under threat of severe hexes?" At Shawn's nod he continued. "I had a map of Hogwarts. But I let someone borrow it last year. And now they're gone and I have no idea where the map is anymore."

"Have you tried writing the person?"

"No can do. Dementor's kiss took his soul."

"Ah." Shawn thought for a moment before asking. "Have you thought of just casting a Summoning Charm as seeing if it will come to you?"

Harry stopped short at that. "You are a bloody genius! I hadn't thought of that before! I have to go tell Draco… And then see if casting the spell will work…"

Shawn smiled at the enthusiasm is he friend's voice. "I can see the entrance hall now. I'll just be waiting by the lake."

"Okay. I'll be there in just a minute." Harry turned and ran down the corridors to get back to the Slytherin common room to tell Draco and all the others about the map.

The first year Slytherin shook his head slightly at the actions of his friend and turned to walk calmly out the entrance hall and towards the lake. But just as he was relaxing by the lake an angry voice called out, "Hey, look all. It's the damn little Slytherin know-it-all."

*

"Will you please explain to me why we are doing this again, Narcissa?" Lucius Malfoy asked his wife as they got dressed in their magnificent master bedroom of the Malfoy Manor located by the coast of Ireland. They were both standing in front of an ornate gold mirror that reflected the view of the sea from the window overlooking the cliff and ocean on the other side of the room as well as themselves.

"Because, Luc, even though letters can speak tons it would be better for us to see the poor boy face to face to say that we are sorry. We can invite him to visit the manor if he wants or even stay during the summer so that he doesn't have to stay with those poor excuses of Muggles again. And anyways, we haven't talked with Severus in quite a long time. Of course, we will have to discuss Harry and maybe inviting him here."

"Narcissa, darling, I believe that you are forgetting that we are Death Eaters. We are two of the Death Eaters to Voldemort, Narcissa… We can't just invite the boy over here. Voldemort will probably already be here for goodness' sakes, Cissa."

The blonde woman waved her hand in a fleeting gesture. "That is but a small technicality. Anyways, the snake face has his own bloody house in that Little Whatever town. He can stay there during the Christmas and summer."

"I don't think it will be quite as simple as that."

"I still don't understand why you insist on bowing down to that fool."

"I do not insist on it, Narcissa. But I can't very well go up to him and say that I offer my resignation from his elite mass murdering Death Eaters, now can I?" Lucius asked as he grabbed a piece of black leather to tie back his long hair. "Even though the boy is now in Slytherin according to Draco, I don't believe that Voldemort will be happy to stop killing Muggles for him. And even I don't dare challenge Voldemort. He is too powerful."

"He isn't all that powerful if a one year old boy could destroy him for thirteen years without even trying, is he?" Narcissa asked cryptically.

Lucius glared at his wife at that comment. 

"I mean it Lucius. I have been talking to the other Death Eaters. Almost all of them are tired of Voldemort. If you all would just band together I am positive you could destroy him for good. And then Harry could come over here whenever he wished to."

"For goodness' sakes, Lucius. Just go up to Voldemort and say, 'my lord, since Potter isn't a Gryffindor anymore and has all but proclaimed his distrust of Dumbledore there isn't any reason for trying to kill him anymore is there?'"

"Cissa, the boy defied him; humiliated him. He nearly killed him for Salazar's sake. Voldemort isn't going to forgive that." Lucius picked up his snake cane and held his arm out for Narcissa to take as he escorted her to the apparition room of the manor. The Malfoy Manor had a specific room where the occupants could apparate out but no one could get in.

"We can discuss this all with Dumbledore when we get to Hogwarts. Or maybe not Dumbledore as he annoys me to no end, but we can talk to at least Severus. Now come on, we can apparate to the gates and walk by that favorite path of ours by the lake from on time at the school."

Lucius chuckled at the remembrances of their schooldays. "You were quite the vivacious Slytherin girl, weren't you? How could I have resisted your charming beauty and persona?"

*

Harry grabbed Draco's arm and started dragging him out to the lake, the other fifth year Slytherins following clearly amused. Salazar the snake was hissing animatedly from his position around Harry's neck; upset that his afternoon of basking in the sunlight coming from the Circle had been interrupted.

"Remember how I told you about a certain piece of parchment that was my father's that I had believed lost." The others nodded. "Well, it isn't just a piece of parchment. It is a magical map of Hogwarts that shows not only hidden rooms and secret passages but also passwords into almost every place."

Pansy gasped. "Which geniuses invented that?"

"My father did with the help of his friends." Harry answered back. "But that isn't the point at this moment in time. I thought that I would never see it again. But then Shawn asked if I had lost something, why didn't I just summon it to me?"

"I swear that kid is a bloody future Einstein." Draco said as he went after Harry.

"If the charm works, can you imagine what all we could do with that map? Think Ron Weasley waking up in the morning with his hair purple."

"Ah, what a wonderful thought, Harry. Such a wonderful thought."

*

Shawn turned around to see Ron Weasley standing by him, face red and anger quite noticeable. He was flanked by quite a number of the younger years of the Gryffindor house.

"Oh, it's you." The first year turned away to go back to watching the giant squid in the lake while waiting for Harry.

"Don't you dare turn your back on me you—you dumbass Slytherin!" Ron shouted.

Shawn just snorted and rolled his eyes at the Gryffindor's antics. 

"Why you!" Ron shouted. "Rictisempra!" 

At that angrily yelled spell, Shawn was sent flying into the air and landing harshly on the ground a few feet away. "And I thought Gryffindors were supposed to be the honorable type," Shawn whispered to himself as he pushed himself off of the ground with his arms.

Seamus Finnegan arrived at the scene followed by Dean. "Ron, what on Earth are ye doing?" he asked incredulously.

"Punishing the Slytherin brat." Ron replied angrily, pulling out his wand again.

"What? You can't do that!" Dean shouted.

"Just watch me."

The other Gryffindors were all cheering on Ron as he turned to curse Shawn again. "Tsk, tsk, tsk Weasley. You would have thought that your parents had told you more manners than that. And really, casting a second year spell?" Shawn said angrily, watching as a few of the stronger Gryffindors pushed back the two that had been trying to help him.

Ron raised his wand to call out another curse but before he could pronounce the words and Shawn could grab his wand, a pale hand reached and grabbed Ron's wand from his hand. "And what may I ask is going on?"

At that moment Draco and the rest of the fifth year Slytherins showed up, forgetting in that moment all about there discussion of pranks and other things to do if the summoning charm worked on the map. "Father, mother? What are you two doing here?" 

"We were just stopping by when we noticed the Weasley child," Ron fumed at the word child, "attempting to curse someone so obviously younger than he was, therefore meaning that he was in a younger year and not as trained. And to say that he was doing it rather unsuccessfully too. Really, attacking a younger student." Lucius shook his head. "Now, Draco, your mother and I will talk to you later but now we must speak with your illustrious potions master. Any idea where he might be?"

"In his office most likely, father."

Narcissa smiled at Harry warmly from beside her husband. "I wish to speak to you later, Harry. We have much to catch up on." She then turned to her husband. "Let the boy have his wand. We aren't the ones to give out punishment, Lucius."

"The boy had better be glad that we aren't." Lucius scowled as he said his salutations to the Slytherins before following his wife.

**TBC…**

**The beginning dream was just to give a taste of how Draco and Harry can be together—even though Draco can't even remember having the dream. And I was listening to 'Music of the Night' from Phantom of the Opera sung by Michael Crawford while writing it. The mood of what you write depends on what you listen to in my opinion. **

**Story Ideas:**

**            How should Ron be punished? (A and B can be matched with C or D)**

**a) **someone pushes him into the lake****

**b) **Salazar (the snake, mind) scare the heck out of him****

**c) **assigned detention for one week with a sardonic Snape****

**d) **has to become Shawn's servant every night for a week****

**Who should the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher be?**

**a) **Remus Lupin again****

**b) **Arabella Figg (NOT under aging potion)****

**c) **an Auror (tell if male or female)****

**d) **other ****

**            Should—**

**a) **Draco slowly remember his dream (i.e., familiar words and such)****

**b) **Have another dream that he does remember****

**Damn, that's a lot of choices… **

**Well, leave any other suggestions you have in the mailbox (or just a review would be fine).**


	6. Of Lakes, Snakes, and Returning Marauder...

**Changed Perspectives**

            "Weasley!"

            Ron jumped slightly and nervously swung around at the enraged voice sounding across the Hogwarts grounds from behind him. Coming up quickly from the entrance hall of the school was an obviously infuriated Severus Snape followed by a smirking Lucius Malfoy. The Gryffindor lad gulped nervously as he saw his dreaded potions master stalking towards him.

            "It seems," Severus said in his quiet voice that all knew was reserved for when he was really angry, "that I can't even enjoy a Saturday relaxing without hearing of some stupid incident occurring with the ever impulsive Gryffindors involved. This is outrageous however being that it happened while visitors to the school were here. What do you have to say for yourself?"

            Ron glared back heavily at the head of the Slytherin house. "You never failed to punish Potter during those times but I don't see you doing that now. Is it because he has decided that your house is better than ours?" Many of the Gryffindors around Ron winced at the statement which they knew would just irate the Slytherin professor even more.

            "The reason I am not punishing Mr. Potter, Weasley is because it seems he has finally matured to the point where he knows better than to pick fights with others of a younger age and a lesser amount of education than he does."

            The Gryffindor glared at Harry when he saw Snape glance upwards in thought. "I have decided to come up with a—imaginative—detention for you, Mr. Weasley. You are to be at the library every night for the next week for two hours from seven to nine. You may not have to stay there all night but that all depends on what Mr. O'Connor wants to do every night. If he wants to go to the potions lab for research then you will go with him and do whatever he asks be that it is not life-threatening."

            "You're making me become a _servant for a week?" Ron asked incredulously. _

            "That seems to be correct, Mr. Weasley. Good day." With that, Severus swung around in his traditional flurry of ebony black robes and marched away talking quietly to Lucius along the way. No one noticed however when they paused just within seeing and hearing distance.

            "So, Potter, it looks as if you've got Snape on your side now as well. Hope you enjoy hell because I'm about to send you there." Ron growled as he moved forward to slam his fist into Harry's face. But just as his hand was inches away from its target and Harry began to move into action, an irritated hiss was heard and Salazar the snake was on Ron's hand with his head in the Gryffindor's face. Ron screamed and shook his hand hard as he saw the gleaming blue eyes (can snakes even have that color eyes?) staring at him. Salazar was sent flying into the air and Harry caught him neatly.

            "Salazar doesn't take well to anyone threatening me." Harry stated calmly as he handed the black asp over to Pansy. "But this is for what you were trying to do to me before my _pet scared you and for attacking Shawn. And if I should go to hell I'll be seeing you there." And with that Ron was sent flying into the Hogwarts lake by a nicely placed left-hook to the face._

*

           Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy both smiled slightly and laughed quietly at the scene they had just witnessed. "Yes, he is definitely Lily's son."

*

            Severus led Lucius and Narcissa into his office and locked the door and silenced the room. "So what is it that you two wished to discuss with me?" he asked as he motioned for the couple to sit down on one of the couches around an unlit fireplace. 

            "Voldemort, Severus. What else is topic for conversation these days?"

            "Ah," Snape moved to his liquor (is there a difference between that and liqueur?) cabinet and drew out a bottle. "Do you want a glass of brandy?"

            Narcissa declined politely while Lucius just took a glass and filled it to the brim. 

            Severus filled his own glass and sat down in his favorite leather chair watching the other two with observing eyes. "And what is it about our lord that you wish to discuss? And at Hogwarts no less?"

            "You can cut the crap, Severus. We both know that you either do not want to be in service to Voldemort or you are spying by now. We just came here because we don't want to be among his Death Eaters any longer as well."

            "And what do you suppose I do about it?" Severus asked shrewdly. "I know you, Lucius. You never give out any information that could harm you in the long run unless you plan on working alongside that someone."

            The blonde Slytherin male laughed softly and nodded. "You know me too well, Severus. Narcissa has told me that while talking to many of the other Death Eaters' wives she found out that many did wish to revolt against Voldemort as well but they do not discuss it freely so they go about pretending that they are happy with what they are doing. And none of us would ever want to willingly go to Dumbledore."

            "So what is it that you are asking of me?" Severus asked.

            "We need your help coming up with a plan to get rid of _our lord._"

*

            Narcissa Malfoy went looking for her son later that day while her husband was still talking to Severus. She found him by himself in the school library looking through some Muggle poetry books. After watching him picking a book from the shelf, flipping to the back, cursing, and placing the book back a few times she decided to make her presence noticed and coughed. "What is it that has gotten my son so frustrated and where is your dear friend, Mr. Potter?"

            "Harry is in a meeting right now with Severus right now about possible potions tutorials as he is absolutely abysmal in that class and he has to be able to be able to grasp the concepts for the advanced classes we are taking this year and our O.W.L.s. Later we're planning on trying to summon an object that's been missing for a little while if possible." Draco scowled as he put back another book back onto its bookshelf and picked up another. 

            "And what are you looking for?"

            "I had a dream last night. In my dream there was a poem spoken that I'm positive was called 'Longing' but I can't seem to find it anywhere."

            "Ah," Narcissa said as she went over to a bookshelf one row down. "What happened in your dream? And who was in it?"

            "That's the problem. I can't seem to remember." Draco slammed a book down in anger and the librarian, Madam Pince, glared over at the Slytherin teen. "All I know is that it has a connection with a poem called 'Longing'. The poem had something to do with coming in dreams or something of the sort. And I remember green eyes—they made me think of Harry." The blonde boy ended his sentence in a despondent tone.

            Narcissa looked questioningly at Draco and asked. "Why would that be such a terrible thing? Harry would be a good match for you I believe. And you two would be so handsome together."

            Draco started to splutter. "Mother! He told us before that he isn't even gay. We have no chance with each other so keep that out of your thoughts and wishes."

            The woman smiled as she pulled a book from the top shelf of her section. "Has he ever said that he was of either orientation?"

            "No, not necessarily."   Draco said quietly. "But he's Harry Potter. He wouldn't be gay figuring with my luck."

            "Draco, Malfoys are known for being persuasive. If it turns out that he isn't homosexual then you'll just have to get him to change his mind." Flipping to a seemingly random page in her book, Narcissa handed the book over to her son. "Is this the poem you were looking for?"

            After just reading the first line, Draco immediately remembered it from his dream. "Yes, that's it. I still can't remember who was speaking it though… How did you know where to find it?"

            "That was one of Harry's mother's favorite poems*. I still remember her dragging me into the library to make me read that poem. She was scandalized that I had never even heard of it before." 

            "Thank you, mother." Draco said as he went to the librarian's desk to check out the book of poetry.

*

            In the late afternoon, all the fifth year Slytherins outside by the lake with Shawn discussing Harry's very complex history and the Marauder's Map.

            "I'm still trying to get all the facts straight." Pansy complained in a mock pouting voice. "Peter Pettigrew is alive and is that blasted Wormtail that my father says is an annoying git. Sirius Black is innocent and is Harry's godfather. Lupin from our third year was a prankster once and a nice werewolf not hungry for blood. And Harry's dad was friends with them all."

            "Got every single one right, Pansy." Harry pulled out his wand and started to twirl it nervously. "Might as well try to get this over with. Accio Marauder's Map!"

            The room waited in silence for a minute before Harry sighed. "I guess that Crouch Jr. destroyed it at the end of last year." But then a piece of parchment zoomed into Harry's lap. The Slytherin picked it up and gasped. "It's still activated. That means that it was used recently." 

            Suddenly they heard barking and a voice shouting from nearby. "Snuffles! Slow down, you mutt!" The Slytherins all stared in shock as a grim-like dog was seen being chased by Remus Lupin.

            Remus stopped as stopped as he saw the students staring at him. "Ah. Sorry about that. My dog here just got loose. Have any of you seen a piece of parchment suddenly go flying by? I was looking at it when it suddenly flew out of my hands. And it appears that Snuffles, my dog, believes that it came around here."

            Harry stood up. "Moony? What are you doing at Hogwarts?"

            Remus gaped. "Harry? You really are in Slytherin?" he asked looking at the badge on Harry's robes. "And here I was thinking that Minerva was joking with me. Congratulations are in order, I presume for you entering a new house that I'm hoping you are happy with."

            Harry quirked an eyebrow. "You aren't angry?"

            Remus smiled. "A little disappointed that it seems that Gryffindor is not your house anymore but angry? Never." He then noticed the map in Harry's hands. "So I now understand the phenomenon of the flying map."

            The Slytherin then looked to his godfather in his dog form. "And Snuffles here isn't too angry is he?" The dog just barked loudly before turning to look back at the school.

            "I believe that Snuffles is trying to suggest that we go back into the school to discuss this with less chances of being overhead." Remus said before looking to the other Slytherins. "I hope you don't mind me taking Harry for awhile to go talk to."

            The Slytherins all shook their heads and watched as the two people walked away followed by a dog. "But what are you doing at Hogwarts, Remus?"

**TBC…**
    
    ***Come to me in my dreams, and then**
    
    **By day I shall be well again!**
    
    **For then the night will more than pay**
    
    **The hopeless longing of the day.******
    
    **Come, as thou cam'st a thousand times,**
    
    **A messenger from radiant climes,**
    
    **And smile on thy new world, and be**
    
    **As kind to others as to me!**
    
    **Or, as thou never cam'st in sooth,**
    
    **Come now, and let me dream it truth;**
    
    **And part my hair, and kiss my brow,**
    
    **And say: My love! Why sufferest thou?**
    
    **Come to me in my dreams, and then**
    
    **By day I shall be well again!**
    
    **For then the night will more than pay**
    
    **The hopeless longing of the day.******

**I have also just written a (very bad) one-shot named Anywhere. So here's an excerpt to be used as a blatant suggestion that you will go read it and review.  *hint hint—wink wink***

**Excerpt from Anywhere—**

Draco Malfoy had just lain down at his favorite place in a secluded shaded area by the Hogwarts lake after having his a small snack in the kitchens (as he had skipped the early dinner that night) when he was nearly run over by a running Harry Potter. The Slytherin quickly grabbed Harry's legs and pulled him off his feet and into his lap as he sat up on the quilt he had spread beneath him. "Harry? Harry, what's wrong? We weren't supposed to meet until ten, weren't we?" he whispered urgently into his lover's ear as he held Harry close, feeling him shaking slightly.

            The Gryffindor blinked, holding back tears, before speaking; his voice muffled by Draco's neck. "They're planning on sending me away. And I'm going to be gone by ten tonight"

**Story Suggestions:**

**            Should Sirius—**

**a) **react angrily but then be made to see reason****

**b) **be sorry for never telling Harry about his mother and be accepting****

**c) **just be happy that Harry wants to continue the Marauder legacy even if it's with Slytherin****

**d) **have some other detailed reaction****

**            Who should capture Wormtail in rat form at the school?**

**a) **Harry****

**b) **Draco****

**c) **some other Slytherin****

**d) **a boy who is fascinated by rats and captures him hoping to keep him as a pet ****

**e) **a girl who hates rats and decides to bash the creature on the head with a shoe****

**f) **have the boy and girl fight over what to do with the rat and Harry come and take Wormtail from both of them (my personal favorite)****

**What poem(s) should be used in the next dream?  Please leave the title and writer.**

**Please review and don't be afraid to leave any suggestions. I read every review.**


	7. Of Reactions, Rats, and Foundout Feeling...

**Just a little note:        * stands for a change in scene**

**                                    *** stands for a flashback/end flashback                 **

**Changed Perspectives**

            It had been a month since Remus Lupin had returned to Hogwarts to the defense against the dark arts professor again. Of course, when it was time for him to take his wolfsbane potion one of the other professors stepped in. It had also been a month since Sirius Black (whom of course only turned into his human form when in privacy) was informed of his godson's change of house.

***

            "Harry, you know that I think of you as a son, correct?" Sirius had said to Harry in his first private conversation with him since arrival the day before. They were in Remus' new office that was connected to his rooms.

            "Of course, Padfoot. And you should know that you are the closest person that I have and ever will have to a father." Harry had answered back cautiously, wondering what his godfather was going on about. Sirius' face had remained quite unreadable throughout the conversation.

            "Harry, your mother was a wonderful person, even though she was in Slytherin. And I love you no matter what house you are in." Sirius paused for a moment before saying. "Although, I have to admit that I'm happy that you didn't get into Hufflepuff—you know that was Fudge's old house. So, of course, I'm happy that you aren't in there. _Anyways, I don't mind that you are in Slytherin and I am happy that you want to continue the Marauder legacy, even if it is against my old house, _unfortunately_. I must say that your actions are justified from hearing what most of the most prejudiced, stupid, idiotic students—and even I have to admit that it is mostly the Gryffindors—are  saying while I'm in dog form…"_

            "That's good to know Sirius, but you know that you are rambling—"

            Sirius raised his hand to cut off whatever Harry was about to say. "But, Harry, why?" Harry's godfather's voice rang with a little bit of desperation. Harry just looked confused at the question.

            "I thought that you knew why I left Gryffindor by now, Siri. It took Remus and me three hours to get it into your brain…"

            Sirius just waved his hand again for silence. "WHY in Merlin's name did you volunteer to go into that greasy bastard _Snape's_ house?" he asked, despairingly. 

***

            Kevin Whitby, a Hufflepuff second year, had a strange fascination with any type of rodents, but rats were by far his favorite. However, his best friend, Eleanor, called Ella, Branstone hated all rodents especially rats with a passion. And so Peter Pettigrew, also known as Wormtail and for having a rat animagus form, was placed in a rather difficult predicament. 

            From the beginning when his master had ordered for him to infiltrate Hogwarts and to gather any information possible on the workings of Dumbledore and of Harry Potter, Peter had a bad feeling about the whole mission.

            He knew that that feeling in his gut was true as soon as he entered the Hogwarts hallways to be greeted by a shriek and being almost knocked out by a shoe, a shoe with a very hard sole. Wormtail was seeing stars and walking like a very drunk rat.

            "Ella, what in Helga's name are you doing?" Kevin Whitby asked as he came down the marble staircase to where his friend was waiting for him. "Let's go. We're already thirty minutes late to dinner."

            "I know that, idiot. I've been _waiting for you for the past thirty minutes when I could have been eating. I would have gone in without you but this thing won't get away from my bench so that I can go away." Ella said stiffly from her kneeling position on her bench, holding her shoe over the edge of the stone fixture. The girl slammed her shoe down on the rat as soon as he came out from underneath the bench again. Wormtail let out a shrieking moan as he was finally knocked out._

            Kevin gasped as he saw the rat fall to the ground. "Why on Earth did you do that to the poor creature?" he asked as he hurriedly ran forward and gently picked up the unconscious rat and held him to his chest. "Would you like somebody to hit _you with a shoe?"_

            Ella's jaw dropped and she gasped in a horrified voice. "You are actually willingly touching that thing?" she said pointing at Wormtail shakily. "That—that _thing_ is probably manifested with fleas! And you're TOUCHING it?"

            "It's just a rat, Ella. I mean really, I know you're a _girl_ but do you have to _act_ like one?" Kevin asked either not noticing or pointedly ignoring the furious glare on his friend's face.

            Ella grabbed her wand from her pocket and pointed it at Kevin. "Hufflepuff or not, _girl or not; I will curse you if you even think about taking that thing into the Great Hall or back into the Hufflepuff tower."_

            "Jeez!" Kevin said. "What ever happened to our famous Hufflepuff loyalty?"

            "That went out the window and soaring away when you touched that thing in your hands now!" Ella's hand was shaking slightly. "I hate rats!"

            "Oh, for Helga's sake. The rat is going to be staying in my dorm not yours so why should it really matter to you?" Kevin asked.

            Ella put down her wand for an instant and stalked in front of her friend. "Do you know that fleas are parasites? And fleas are pesky little creatures that can jump and they can bite? And did you know that a third of the whole European population died from the bubonic plague, also known as the Black Death, because of FLEAS? And did you know that those fleas were transported by RATS such as the one that you are CARRYING! Fleas don't see the need of doors separated dorm rooms!"

            Kevin just shook his head sadly. "Ella, you do realize that the plague that you referenced in your little speech occurred a few _hundred_ years ago?"

            "_So_?" Ella sniffed angrily; she pointed her wand at Kevin yet again.

            "What on Earth is going on here?" Draco Malfoy asked as he and Pansy Parkinson came up from the entrances from the Slytherin common room and were headed towards the Great Hall.

            Both Hufflepuffs stopped their argument immediately upon seeing the feared Slytherins.

            Pansy sighed as she saw the looks on their faces. "Draco is a school prefect. He needs to know what this argument is about so if you will?" she trailed off.

            Ella scowled and said to the two upper level students. "I was just trying to get this idiot to realize that pet rats are not good things. Especially, if they are located in the same building—and might I remind you that this is a _school—as me."_

            Draco laughed. "That's all the whole argument is about?" he asked. "Well then get on with it. I don't see what all I can really help you with." He turned to Kevin then and whispered. "It'd be best not to get your girlfriend angry. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

            "She is not my girlfriend!"

            Draco just smirked at that comment. "So you say for now." He turned to leave but Pansy was in his way. "Pansy, do you want to move?"

            But Pansy just kept staring at the rat in the Hufflepuff boy's hands. "Draco, what did Potter say was different about Weasley's rat—Wormtail—from other rats?"

            "It lived twelve, now fourteen, years?"

            "Besides that. What about its appearance is different?" The blonde girl asked, her blue eyes not leaving the unconscious rat.

            "It's skinny, ugly, and is missing a toe."

            "Ah yes. I believe the last is the winner, Draco." She turned Draco around and pointed directly at Kevin's hands. "Do tell me Draco if that isn't Weasley's rat?"

            "Give me that rat." Draco said, holding his hand out.

            "What?" Kevin said. "No, I won't! You'll try to exterminate him."

            "Listen to me, now, Hufflepuff." Draco said scowling. "Forget about the saying 'hell hath no fury like a woman scorned' and remember this. Hell hath no fury like a Dragon scorned."

            Pansy snorted. "It should be more like: hell hath no fury even remotely close to a Dragon scorned." 

            "I agree with her, Kev." Ella said. "I don't think that he should be messed with. So why don't you just give them the rat?"

            "But they'll kill him!" Kevin wailed.

            "Oh, just shut up and give Draco the rat now." Pansy said, glaring in a manner that all Slytherins seemed able to accomplish.

           Kevin and Ella both gasped. The boy quickly dropped the rat in Draco outstretched hand and ran into the Great Hall, his friend following swiftly behind him. Both were muttering about death glares and Slytherins. As soon as the doors behind them closed again, Draco dropped the rat and stunned and tied it. "I can't believe I just touched that thing."

            "Yes, you must really, and I mean really, like Harry, Draco."

            The blonde Slytherin male-hunk-of-fine-meat answered without thought. "It seems like it, doesn't it…" Draco's jaw dropped in a rare expression of surprise. "Wh—what did you just say?"

            Pansy just laughed. "Oh come on, Draco. It's so obvious. You like him and probably been having dreams with him and you want him to _kiss_ you. You want him to say that he _loves_ you."

**            "What makes you have that idea?" Draco asked.**

            "It's all in your eyes, Draco. It's all in your eyes."

            The prefect just looked confused. Pansy sighed again. "I swear, you are supposed to be smart, aren't you? You always look at him, watching him as if he might just decide to go back to Gryffindor one day."

            It was Draco's turn to sigh now. "Was I that obvious?"

            "Only to me." Pansy answered. "I've known you since we were itty witty bitty babies, Draco. I should hope that I would be the first to realize. I mean, Vince and Greg aren't stupid and they've known you just as long. But I am a girl and I should be the first to know."

            "That's good to know."

            "And if my assumptions are correct—which they undoubtedly are—then I think Harry just might be starting to reciprocate those feelings even if he doesn't quite realize it yet."

            "What? When did you realize that?"

            But Pansy didn't have time to answer because the Great Hall doors opened and the rest of the fifth year Slytherins came out of the dining area talking and laughing.

            Harry stepped forward, his bright emerald eyes prominent on his face without his glasses. "You two do know that dinner is going to be over in a few minutes, don't you?" he asked. "What have you been doing all this time? I thought that Draco was just going to be helping Pansy with some transfiguration."

            "Harry, what is one of the hardest transfigurations of the human body to perform?" Draco asked.

            "More than likely, the Animagi transformation."

            "Who is most likely the stupidest person to accomplish this feat?"

            "Wormtail. Why?"

            Draco just picked up Wormtail by his tail and dangled him in front of Harry's face.

**TBC…**

***I must thank Dark Comet**** for her idea about the line about 'Isn't that Weasley's rat?'. I just changed it around a bit to fit my scene.**

**To those that we seemingly confused about the excerpt** that I placed in the last chapter: I have **already written the story**** and you can get the link to it on my profile, listed as one of my stories.**

**And Amy Potter****, your English is perfectly fine.**

**Story Suggestions:**

**            Who should Harry talk to about his new 'feelings' for Draco?**

**a) **Pansy (she will know both of their feelings and set them up with help of all the other Slytherins)****

**b) **Blaise****

**c) **Seamus****

**d) **Fred & George****

**e) **Other****

**            Should Fred, George, and Seamus—**

**a) **be informed of the Marauder legacy (and of Sirius' innocence beforehand)****

**b) **be involved in the story more****

**c) **become honorary Slytherins (allowed in common room)****

**d) **ALL OF THE ABOVE****

**            What prank should the Slytherins (also may include the honorary ones) play on Ron—**

**a) **the whole weird hair and skin color****

**b) **turn into a weasel in the Great Hall****

**c) **tar and chicken feathers****

**d) **some other better one that you can think of****

**            Who should win at the Gryffindor/Slytherin quidditch match?**

**a) **Slytherin****

**b) **Slytherin****

**c) **Slytherin****

**d) **maybe it should be Slytherin****

**e) **have I mentioned SLYTHERIN****

**f) **ALL OF THE ABOVE****

**            Who should be the replacement Seeker on the Gryffindor quidditch team?**

**a) **Ron (not my favorite choice—way too clichéd)****

**b) ****Parvati** (who knows? She could be the sporty type)****

**c) **Dennis Creevy****

**d) **just some new person we don't know and barely mention****

Thanks** a lot to everyone for your suggestions! I hope I didn't (and won't) disappoint!**

**I would also just like to mention that I did try to get this out days ago but ff.net wouldn't upload.**


	8. Of Thanks, Apologies, and Twin Daggers

**IMPORTANT NOTICE:**

**            I will be **away** from a computer ****from June 22-July 13 before having a half day on July 13 and **leaving** ****again on the 14th ****for five days. So that basically means no updates. Sorry. I tried to make this** chapter longer **for those reasons. And I know that OotP has just come out. So I was just wondering if people would ****still read this after reading the new book.**

**Changed Perspectives**

            "Where—how the hell did you find him?" Harry asked, completely shocked at the appearance of the stunned Wormtail in front of his face. He smiled widely at the thought of Sirius finally being proved innocent.

            Draco grinned at the happy smile going across Harry's face. "You can say that it is all due to Pansy that he was captured. We found to Hufflepuffs arguing over what to do with it." Harry turned and whirled to grip Pansy in a tight hug. 

            "I can't thank you enough for this." He said into her hair. "I can't believe it. Do you know what this means! I might never have to go back to the Dursleys again!"

            Pansy's face brightened with a wide grin as she winked at Draco. "I'm not the only one to thank, Harry. I believe that it was Draco that scared the Hufflepuffs enough to get the boy to hand the rat over. I think that Drake deserves a very big thank you, don't you?" This time she winked at Harry, whose eyes widened considerably. "Oh, come on, Harry. I think Draco deserves a great big hug and a kiss on the cheek. Don't you agree everyone?" she asked at the other Slytherins around her.

            A chorus of "uh-huh"s came from around Harry, excepting Draco who was too busy staring at Harry—awaiting his reaction. Harry looked nervously at Draco before saying, "I don't think Drake would want me to do that," to Pansy.

            Pansy looked abashed at this statement. "I think you underestimate your charms, Harry Potter." Draco glared at her at this statement, thinking that this made his 'slight' crush on Harry obvious to all. Pansy just continued on. "I mean really, Harry. I think that painting over there on the wall of that wizard over there is just gaping in awe of you. And you know that that portrait rarely moves at all. I believe I actually see him turn his head every time you pass by."

            As soon as Harry turned to look for whatever painting Pansy had been talking about, she pushed the green eyed boy forward in Draco; whose arms came immediately went around his body to hold him upright. Harry blushed profusely at the close proximity of the blonde's body. "Going to thank me at all, Harry?" Draco whispered hotly into his ear. Harry shivered and looked into Draco's eyes as they were roughly the same height of almost six feet. 

            Green eyes widened even more if that was even possible and Harry hugged Draco loosely. But before he could pull away, Draco pulled him tightly against his chest. "Is that all the thanks I get?" Harry hesitated before placing a tentative kiss on Draco's cheek and blushing furiously.

            "Isn't that the sweetest thing you have ever seen?" Pansy asked Blaise as Harry pulled away from Draco to stand next to him still blushing slightly. Draco had a look of happiness on his face.

            "I'd reckon that they are sweet on each other." Gwen said watching as Harry stared at the ground nervously refusing to look at Draco. "No, I have to change that opinion. I am almost completely positive that they are sweet on each other."

            Pansy grinned. "So finally someone else takes notice." The others looked to her. "I was wondering how long it would take you all to realize what was going on between the two of them. But we'll have to talk about that later." She called to Draco and Harry, "Everyone will be coming out from dinner soon so we should go."

            Draco nodded. "Can we stop by the kitchens though first? I'm starving. Catching evil traitors seems to give me a bit of an appetite."

            "Either that or the thanks that you receive for it," Pansy whispered into his ear. "You owe me. Big time." They both looked over at Harry as he picked Wormtail up by his tail and swung him around as they walked to the kitchens (of course they knew the location by now being that Harry had shown them one day after a quidditch practice).

            "So who are we going to give the rat to?" Vince asked.

            "I would say Padfoot and Moony," Harry said as he entered the kitchens through the food bowl painting, "but the full moon was yesterday so they wouldn't be here. You know, with the wolfsbane potion Moony turns into a wolf so Padfoot just keeps him company. I don't really want to disturb them. I guess we could just take it to Snape. I mean they are—well, at least Moony is—really busy with teaching and all the other things going on and I don't want to have to wait until tomorrow to turn in the rat."

            "Do mine ears deceive me*?" The question came from the other side of the kitchens by a group of tables by the pantries where a crowd of house elves were serving five people. It was Fred Weasley speaking from his spot around a table with George, Seamus, Dean, and Neville. "I thought I just heard the names Padfoot and Moony being used. And the way the name Moony was spoken makes me think that he is in actuality a teacher here."

            Fred and George looked positively like little children getting ready for bed on Christmas Eve thinking about the new toys that they would be receiving the next day. "So—who are the Marauders?" they asked. "It's obvious that you know!" Seamus, Dean, and Neville all looked intrigued as well.

            Harry looked at the last two nervously. "Oh, don't mind them. They still are actually cool." Seamus said. "So go on and tell about the Marauders. Fred and George never shut up about them."

            "Well, I guess you could say that it all started with a werewolf…" Harry went on to tell the rest of the story.

            "Oh wow!" Neville said eagerly. "Your dad became an animagus when he was only fifteen? That's amazing! I wish I could do something as powerful as that!"

            "Professor Lupin was a Marauder?" George shouted. "That's unbelievable!"

           Harry snorted. "Neville, you have the potential to do great things and you are great at herbology as it is. And George, really, who is the only professor, besides Dumbledore, that ever really laughs at the pranks that you pull off?"

            "You got a point there, Potter," Fred said jokingly. "Why do you hate Dumbledore though? He still seems pretty cool. I mean, how many other headmasters would let us get away with everything else that we have?"

            "I don't hate him, per se. I _guess I was rather __harsh on him the day I got resorted. But I guess I'll just have to blame my actions due to the fact that I had a horribly horrendous summer. That coupled with the fact that I knew the only reason that I wasn't staying with you at the Burrow was because he said that I couldn't go. I understand his reasoning now but damn. There are times when I wonder who is worse; Voldemort or the Dursleys."_

            "Were your relatives really that bad?" Neville asked nervously.

            "Let's just say that I didn't know that my name wasn't boy or freak until the week before I started preschool."

            "Damn, that's pretty bad."

*

            "Greg, do you really have to hit the door that hard?" Harry asked, as he watched his friend bang on the door to Severus' office. He could almost see the dents forming on the wood. "You know there is a perfectly good knocker in the shape of a snake just inches above where your hand is. Why don't you just use that instead?"

            "This way Severus knows that it's us coming to visit." Greg hit the door even harder if possible. "I wonder why he's taking so long though."

            Suddenly there came a voice from behind the door. "You can stop that annoying noise now, Gregory Goyle. And if your hand comes and hits me as I open this door I will not be as lenient with punishment as I was last time." With that, Severus opened his door with a flourish and beckoned them in.

            "What's this about a last time?" Harry asked.

            Greg turned red and mumbled. "I kind of hit Severus when he went to open the door the last time we came to visit here."

            "Kind of?" Severus snorted. "More like knocked me out silly on the ground. I swear, if you were coordinated on a broom you would be one awesome beater." He looked at Draco, Blaise, and Harry next. "So the match against Gryffindor is tomorrow. Who's going to be playing Seeker? I heard that they got a third year to play Seeker for the Gryffindors. Absolutely pathetic player, I've heard." 

            "We can't tell you who's playing Seeker. That would spoil the surprise. The boy chosen to play Seeker for Gryffindor is actually not _that_ bad. By the time he's a sixth year he'll be really good." Harry said. "The whole Slytherin team went to the try-outs to watch; without the Gryffindors knowing of course." The three members on the Slytherin team started laughing loudly.

            "You should have seen Weasel try to play Seeker." Draco laughed.

            "Nearly fell off his broom, he did." Blaise added. "He tried to do a Wronksi Feint."

            "It was a pitiful attempt. Not only did he do it from an altitude of less than thirty feet and was going at almost a horizontal slope." Harry finished. "You should have seen it. Unfortunately, he was picked as a Keeper instead. Although he is an okay Keeper, he's nothing compared to Isabelle's talents."

            "You know, I never did find out who was voted as the team captain.*" Severus said.

            "Devon Bletchley was voted as captain. You know, I just found yesterday that he isn't in sixth year as I thought. Since it's his last year here we decided to let him have the job."

            "That's good to hear." Severus said. "But what is it that you came here for?"

            "Ah, that is a very good question, dear potions master." Blaise said. "Harry will do the honors I believe."

            Harry placed Wormtail down on the desk in front of Severus. The stunning spell had faded off of the rat and it was squeaking and thrashing in the small ropes that were tied around it. 

            "I had to threaten a Hufflepuff to give me the rat." Draco informed the shell shocked professor. "The boy seems to like rats and thought that I was going to exterminate it. You should have seen the look on his face when we passed by him on the way here."

            "We'll have to take him to the headmaster now." Snape said glaring at the rat in front of him. He then turned to look at Harry. "You don't mind this, do you?"

            "Nah," Harry said. "I should probably apologize to him, I guess. I mean, I still do feel as if he used me as a tool but well, people look to him to do everything perfect. He probably has to think of life as a game of chess; always thinking ahead. I know how that feels."

*

            Albus smiled, eyes twinkling merrily. "I believe that Mr. Sirius Black will be most happy when he is informed. But for now, I'll contact some of the Aurors at the Ministry. Of course, I will make sure that they will see the truth unlike our Minister." He nodded to tell everyone that their meeting was over.  "Harry, will you stay please."

            Harry sat back down. He looked nervous. "I know that I said I'm sorry already, headmaster. And I do mean it. So if this is because of what I said to you before about me being used like a pawn. I'm sorry, although I still believe what I said before. I should not have said it so disrespectfully though."

            "I have already accepted your apology, Harry. And I must give one of my own. I am sorry, Harry, for ever making you feel as if you were nothing more than a tool in this war."

            Harry nodded to show his acceptance before turning to leave. But Dumbledore called out for him to sit down again. "There are some other things that I must discuss with you, Harry."

            The Slytherin went back to his chair and leaned back. "Do you remember when you asked why Voldemort had gone after your parents near the end of your first year?"

            "How could I forget? You said that you would tell me later when I was old enough." 

            "I believe that know is the time." Dumbledore paused. "The story does not begin with your parents though. To start this tale we must go back into the time of the founders of Hogwarts.

            "The Gryffindor and Slytherin families had been feuding for many years before Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin were ever born. However, until their birth the feud had mostly been about lands and other such things. It was the birth of Salazar and Godric that brought forth the highest point of the feud."

            "Only their birth?" Harry asked. "I was always told that the two of them disliked each other because of their views on Muggleborns."

            "Oh no, not at all. Although, Slytherin didn't want Muggleborns at Hogwarts; it was more of the fear of the secret of magic getting out into the Muggle world. Witch and wizard burnings were popular then. In fact, I have heard that the statue and basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets was placed in their by one of the Slytherin descendants not Salazar himself. The Chamber of Secrets was supposedly built as a research center for Salazar's more dangerous workings." Dumbledore said. "Salazar and Godric did not hate each other according to the more accurate and rare historical texts. In fact, they were close friends. Twins, in actuality."

            Harry's jaw dropped and the lemon drop that he had been chewing on fell out of his mouth. He quickly grabbed it before it hit the ground and placed it back into his mouth. "I think I just heard you wrong, headmaster. I could almost swear that I heard you say that Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor were twins."

            "That is exactly what I said Harry. Sebastian Slytherin and Gretchen Gryffindor had a secret affair that ended with the conception of the boys. The two families were so outraged with the affair that after the birth of the twins they separated them. And so the twins grew up being told to hate the family of their other twin that they did not know about. Vampires, epidemics of deadly plagues, and other deadly things were common then and one day the entire Gryffindor family fell sick with the plague of that time, excepting Godric who was at a university. The Slytherin family suffered that same fate, excepting Salazar who was at university as well."

            "This is beginning to sound like one of those clichéd stories were the long lost twins meet through mutual friends."

            "That is exactly what happens. Salazar was friends with Helga Hufflepuff who was friends with Rowena Ravenclaw who knew Godric Gryffindor."

            "And so they realized that they were, in fact, twins and decided to found Hogwarts (naming it that for some odd reason) because their university was lacking in proper education?" Dumbledore nodded. "But what does this have to do with me and why Voldemort wants to kill me?"

            "Harry, think. What does this make Voldemort?"

            "You told me before that he was the heir of Slytherin."

            "Yes, but think of the circumstances of Salazar Slytherin's birth." Dumbledore said quickly, looking intently at Harry.

            Realization dawned on Harry. "Oh shit!" he then looked at Dumbledore. "Sorry about that."

            "I have yet again gone temporarily deaf and haven't an idea what you just said. Old age weakens the ears, you know."

            "You're telling me that Voldemort has the blood of the line of Gryffindor in his veins as well as Slytherin?"

            Albus nodded. "But he is only counted as the descendant of Slytherin though because he descended from Salazar Slytherin. The Gryffindor blood in him has almost vanished through time. So, he can't really be counted as the descendant. For you, however, it is a much different story."

            "What?" Harry asked. "Why?"

            "You are the heir of Gryffindor line, Harry." Harry had to catch the lemon drop falling from his mouth again. "That is the reason that Voldemort wanted to kill only you and your father that night and not your mother. Professor Trelawney's first true prediction that I mentioned was told to Peter Pettigrew. It told how the heir of Godric Gryffindor would vanquish the descendant of Slytherin."

            "Oh, God no." Harry whispered. "Are you trying to tell me that I have to go back to Gryffindor because I'm his heir?"

            "No," Dumbledore said at once. "I have said that your case is different than Voldemort's. For you possess the powers of Slytherin in your veins. So technically, while Voldemort is only the descendant of Slytherin, you are the descendant of both Slytherin and Gryffindor."

            "How is that possible?" Harry asked, confused.

            "The connection that is forged by the scar on your forehead allows you to draw Slytherin magic and power."

            "I use Voldemort's magic and power?" Harry asked, getting more confused by the minute. "I thought that that is impossible to do."

            "No. It is only possible to use other living being's powers and magic through highly illegal magic or through the bond formed between soulmates."

            "Then how…"

            "Do you know why many Purebloods pride themselves as better than Muggleborns?"

            "Not really."

            "This will be rather confusing to explain." Dumbledore said. "Plainly said, Purebloods have more power to use. For instance, the Malfoys have been around since the times of the founders. Families with lines as long as that gain more power over the years. Lucius and Draco Malfoy both have their separate magical powers that were born into them. But they also, along with Narcissa since she married into the family, can draw magic and power from a separate source that comes from the family line. The magic and power gathers as each of the Malfoys is born and dies; adding more power to the external source that they have. Think of it as a source of magic that is only available to the Malfoy line. All of the older wizarding families has one; such as the Weasleys."

            "So I will be able to draw magic from the Gryffindor and Slytherin source but Voldemort can only draw the magic from the Slytherin source."

            "That is correct. But to draw from that source of power is to be available only as a last resort."

            "Damn, that's a lot of info at once." Harry whispered to himself, putting his fingers to his temples, before looking up at Dumbledore and saying. "But according to the prophecy you say was told to Wormtail I am the one to defeat Voldemort?"

            "Yes. But because of the experiments he has done to prevent death though, he cannot die magically by such curses as Avada Kedrava."

            "So I'm supposed to kill him by getting a Muggle gun and blasting his head off?" Harry asked. "I can't say that I'm found of that manner."

            "Ah," Dumbledore paused. "No. I was thinking of more along the traditional lines of the ancient times when magic was not allowed in specific duels." He glanced towards the Gryffindor sword that was in a glass case. "I believe that the sword rightfully belongs to you as you were the one to pull it from the hat."

            "I didn't pull it. It nearly knocked me out." Harry muttered to himself.

            Dumbledore continued on. "Harry, I will not lie to you and say that this is not going to be dangerous. Lives may be lost and childhood innocence will vanish. Not everyone will believe that there is a threat from Voldemort. People may slander you as it seems that Fudge is doing his best to block any mentions of Voldemort from the public. But I still believe that you need to be trained so that you are prepared to face the worst should the worst ever occur."

            "And that would be what?"

            "Well, you will have to be trained with extra lessons obviously in offensive and defensive magicks. And of course, you will need to learn how to use your weapons."

            "Weapons? What weapons?"

            Albus shook his head. "I don't know yet. The sorting hat has told me to let it do all the work." He grabbed the hat from its place on a shelf and placed it on Harry's head.

            "My, my, Mr. Potter." The hat's voice said into his ear. "It seems that you are one of my more frequent visitors. Ah, yes, we are here to discuss about the weapons stored within me that I must give to you, hmm?"

            "They aren't going to drop on my head, are they?"

            "No, no, dear boy." The hat said. "But which weapons would be right for you? I must say I have quite a bit stored in me."

            "Just as long as they don't fall on my head, I'm fine with it."

            The hat chuckled for a moment before saying. "I have found the perfect weapons for you." 

            Harry felt cold metal materialize in both of his hands. He pulled the hat up barely to look at what he was holding. Two blades about a foot long with intricate emerald snakes on the handles were in his hands. 

            "Ah," the hat said. "Yes, the twin knives of Salazar Slytherin."

**TBC… **

*** I've had two reviews I believe that have mentioned that Blaise was the quidditch team captain. I can't remember if or when I put that in the story so if I did just ignore that previous comment.**


	9. Of Salvation, Quidditch, and First Kiss

**Sorry for the delay. When I got back from my trip to **Europe****** I found out that my Dad's cancer had spread all over his body and had to stay with him at the hospital. And then after he passed away everything became really hectic with funeral arrangements and endless phone calls so I didn't have any chance to really concentrate on my writing. **

**    *      = change scene**

**    *** = flashback/end flashback**

**Changed Perspectives**

            "The twin knives of Salazar Slytherin?" Dumbledore commented softly. "Such an interesting choice." He put his hands together in the shape of a steeple while looking thoughtfully at the blades in Harry's hands. 

            Harry twirled the knives around in his hands. "What's so interesting behind them?" he asked. "They look and feel normal enough to me."

            "Normal?" Dumbledore asked softly. "Those weapons are nothing if not anything but normal. Salazar Slytherin was supposedly undefeatable in battle with these two blades—along with his many others as well, of course. These knives were his weapons of choice, if some of my more reliable history books can be trusted of course."

            Harry tossed one up into the air and caught it deftly. "What are so special about them besides the fact that they were once Salazar Slytherin's?"

           "Not only can they both pose as hand held and throwing blades with perfect balance. They were made by the wizard, Gargandius. He was famed during his time. Those who held his weapons in battle were said to always leave the battle in honor."

            Harry balanced one of the blades horizontally across his index finger. "So whoever fought with these always won the battle?" 

            "Ah," Dumbledore paused. "No. They did not always win and they did not always leave the battle alive. But when they left the battlefield they were held in great honor. According to my books on the subject, the knives were first given to Salazar Slytherin's father, Sebastian, when he was a child by an unknown wizard. Of course, only the honorable were allowed to hold the Blades of Honor as they were called in the past."

            "But of course." Harry said softly. "Who's supposed to be teaching me in the amazing art of swordsmanship? Or at least on how to wield these blades?" he asked, tossing one of the blades yet again in the air and watching as the emerald snakes in the hilt glinted in the light coming from Dumbledore's windows in his office before catching it easily by the handle.

            "It seems that Severus Snape is willing to help you with learning how to use your new weapons as well as your old one starting tomorrow."

            "Old one? I don't have any other blade or weapon of the sort." Harry stated.

            "The Sword of Gryffindor of course." Dumbledore replied calmly.

            "But I'm in Slytherin now," Harry answered back. "And I'm quite happy with being in Slytherin and not Gryffindor so I probably shouldn't be using the Gryffindor sword then, should I?"

            Dumbledore tapped his fingertips against each other thoughtfully. "You need to accept both sides of your heritage, Harry. You may be in Slytherin house now Harry but you still are a Gryffindor as well. Just as you were a Slytherin even in the Gryffindor house. That is where Voldemort has failed. He was not able to come to terms with the fact that he is indeed a half-blood whether he admits it or not. That led to his downfall and will lead him to it again. You cannot grasp your full potential and power unless you accept yourself as who you really are." Dumbledore then looked towards one of his many assorted clocks and said. "I believe you should be going to bed, Harry, you have a full Saturday tomorrow complete with a quidditch game, weapons training, and a potions tutorial. Good night."

            "G'night, headmaster."

*

            The next day was hectic to say the least from the start. 

            At breakfast, Devon Bletchley decided to take his captain duties quite seriously and had all the members of the quidditch team eat a perfect balanced meal with lots of carbohydrates. Damien Adams, a Chaser and Gwen's boyfriend, glared at his meal and started poking it with his fork.

            "I swear, if Devon makes us eat this stuff before every match we play I'm going to hurl." He said as he took a bite of egg. 

            Harry just looked up his book of quidditch tactics and put down his fork as he finished his food. "What's wrong with it?" he asked. "It's not like he's forcing us to eat cow liver."

            "Damien always gets queasy before a quidditch match. No one understands it, really. Once he gets on the pitch he goes fine but before," Draco started shaking his arm to emphasize the point of Damien's anxiety. "Doesn't make sense being that he's a damn awesome player. But I guess everyone wants to win this game badly being that this will be the first time we have a great chance at beating Gryffindor because you're off of their team now."

            "I wasn't that good." Harry said.

            "Come off of it." Blaise stated. "You were so awesome out there that no one stood a chance against you. That's why we always had our beaters try to knock the bloody guts out of you."

            "Uh, thanks, I guess."

*

            After Devon Bletchley finished his pre-game pep talk, Harry and Draco went over to each other. "Are you sure about this?" the blonde had asked nervously. "What if it breaks or something?"

            Harry laughed and shook his head. "Unbreakable Charms are all over it. We'll do the switch after the captains shake hands." He said as he tossed Draco a Beater's bat. "Just don't do anything stupid."

            "This coming from the master of stupid quidditch accidents," Draco said softly. 

            "Okay team," Devon called out. "Get ready to walk out onto the field*."

            Everyone in the locker room could hear Lee Jordan's voice announce the Gryffindor quidditch team as they went onto the field. "Here's the Gryffindor team with their Captain and Chaser Angelina Johnson followed by fellow Chasers, Spinnet and Bell and the Beaters the Weasley twins, and the two new team members, another Weasley as Keeper and the youngest member, Kyle Hayes, as Seeker." Loud cheers came from the Gryffindors with polite applause from the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws and hisses from the Slytherins.

            "And know for the Slytherins; Captain and Chaser Devon Bletchley followed by the two other Chasers, Adams, and the newcomer Katherine Hawkins. It appears that Draco Malfoy has now become a Beater alongside Blaise Zabini to leave the spot of Seeker open for Harry Potter."

            Harry clutched his Firebolt as he walked onto the field with the rest of his team hearing the cheers and boos from the crowd but not really paying any attention to them. As he came to the center of the field to stand next to Katherine he saw Ron there. Ron attempted a sneer and said. "So had to kick Malfoy out of his spot to maintain your glory, traitor?" Harry just smirked and shrugged. Angelina and Devon shook hands and the team moved into their positions, but just before Madame Hooch blew her whistle Harry and Draco switched positions.

            "What's this?" Lee's voice could be heard. "It appears that Malfoy and Potter are switching positions!" Draco threw the Beater's bat over to Harry who caught it deftly before tossing his Firebolt over to Draco and catching the blonde's Nimbus 2001. "It appears that Malfoy will be keeping his old position and Potter is now a Beater! Well, who would have thought?"

            Ron's voice could be heard shouting in outrage to Madam Hooch as she just gazed at the two boys before putting her whistle to her lips again. "He can't do that! It's against the rules, it is!"

            Madam Hooch turned to Ron before answering. "I assure you, Mr. Weasley, that there is nothing in the rules that state that they cannot switch positions before a game with permission coming from the referee, which I might state is me. And might I tell you that I had been notified before hand and have given them permission. Get back on your broom, Mr. Weasley, before I suspend you from the game for questioning my authority."

            Ron turned and glared at Harry who just pointedly looked up at the sky, ignoring him. All fifteen people on the field clambered onto their brooms before Madam Hooch gave a blast on her whistle, tossing the Quaffle into the air.

            "Angelina Johnson immediately grabs the Quaffle and is headed towards the Slytherin end. She throws the Quaffle and—hey! It appears that Potter hit a Bludger into the Quaffle to knock it off course!" Harry smirked as he saw (and heard from the crowd's noise) that Devon had just scored a goal from the Quaffle that had conveniently landed in his hands. He decided then that he rather liked playing Beater. 

            "Hey Harry!" Harry turned to see Blaise waving at him. "You take and follow the Bludger that's at the Gryffindor end and I'll follow this one." Harry nodded to show his understanding before flattening himself on the handle of Draco's Nimbus 2001 to speed over to the Gryffindor goal posts with Ron guarding in front of them.

            He slammed the bat into the Bludger that was headed towards Katherine and sent the black ball whizzing towards Ron—well, his broomstick to be exact. A shrill scream could be heard as the Bludger hit the tail end of the broom, turning Ron so he was facing the goal posts instead of Katherine who through the Quaffle easily to make a score.

            "Eighty-twenty, Slytherin." Lee announced, albeit rather unhappily. 

            Harry flew by Draco quickly whispering, "Do it now," as he passed. As Harry went flying after the Bludger he was marking he heard Lee's voice ring out.

            "It looks as if Malfoy has seen the Snitch! Gryffindor Seeker, Hayes, dives after the Slytherin Seeker."

            While everyone (at least on the Gryffindor team) was distracted by the two Seekers, Harry nodded to Damien Adams and Blaise. The other Beater immediately hit a Bludger at Katie Bell who was holding the Quaffle. Katie quickly dropped the ball in order to maneuver out of the course of the black ball. Damien quickly grabbed the red ball and headed to the goal.

            Just as Lee was saying that it appeared as if the Snitch had disappeared, Katie shouted. "Watch out Ron!" Ron turned just in time to see a Bludger from Harry hit him in the chest making his back lie flat on his broom. Damien scored easily. Devon quickly grabbed the Quaffle and scored for Slytherin again.

            "Hundred-twenty, Slytherin." Lee stated before saying quickly. "Malfoy seen the Snitch again!" 

            Indeed he had.

*

            Harry left the Slytherin victory party in the common room early to go to his (and Draco's) room and worked on some potions work before his tutorial which was due to start in an hour.

            "Damn stupid potion," he muttered angrily after a few minutes of rereading the same paragraph and not being able to make any sense of it. 

            "Need some help?" Harry looked up quickly to see Draco standing there, looking as if he had just come out of the shower a few minutes before, waiting for his answer. Harry nodded and promptly blushed. The blonde just grinned and quickly jumped onto Harry's bed to lie next to him. "So what is it that you need help with?"

            "Everything about the stupid Pepper-Up Potion. I just don't get it."

            Draco just hmm-ed and picked up Harry's book before turning it upside-down looking at it quizzically. "Why do you need to know? You have a tutorial in just an hour."

            "I know," Harry said, taking the book and setting it straight. "I just don't want to go to the tutorial completely stupid on the subject."

            Draco sighed before going into a short lecture about the different ingredients and such. "Do you somewhat understand it now?" he asked as he finished.

            Harry nodded. "A little better. I was just getting the properties of the ingredients confused with each other. But then again, what else do you expect from a former Gryffindork—emphasis on dork, of course." 

            Draco laughed at that comment. "But of course," he said, turning his head to look into Harry's eyes. Silence filled the room as the two stared at each other; green and silver-gray* eyes watching. Harry moved his hand slowly and tugged lightly on a lock of Draco's hair which almost brushed his shoulders. "It's getting long," he said simply.

            Draco thought of the conversation that he had just had with Pansy outside of the room before he had come in and placed his hand on top of Harry's before moving it onto his cheek. Harry gasped at the contact with Draco's cheek and gently cupped the blonde's face as Draco leaned forward and gently placed his lips on top of Harry's.

            The world and all its problems were forgotten in that moment.

***

            "Draco, don't be afraid." Pansy said quietly.

            The silver eyed Slytherin turned to look at his friend. "Afraid of what?" 

            "Don't be afraid of salvation." She answered calmly.

            "I have nothing to be saved from, Pansy."

            "A life without someone to love and cherish is something, Draco."

            "I'm not afraid of anything right about now, Pansy." Draco said. "I'm just going into my room. It's only Harry in there and not some big bad monster and not some loveless existence."

            "Should the opportune moment arise to express all those feelings you hold and hide deep inside of yourself, would you take it?"

*** 

_We've been slaves to this love_

_From the moment we've touched_

_I keep begging for more of this resurrection._

'Resurrection' by HIM (His Infernal Majesty)

**I hope the chapter wasn't too bad. I'll try to post again soon.**

**Send me suggestions! I beg of you. Anything with do; a word, a line, a whole bleeding paragraph.**

**Story Suggestions:**

**            Who should be helping Severus teach Harry in his weapons training?**

**a) **Lucius Malfoy****

**b) **Sirius Black****

**c) **Remus Lupin****

**d) **Other****

**It's late and I can't think of anything else. But if you can, feel free to tell me.**


	10. Of Questions, Answers, and Jumping Wease...

**Delays just keep interrupting me. I'm sorry for this one. For a week or so, my computer and internet couldn't work so I had wait for repairs on that. Then my muse decided to go on vacation to Tahiti. That coupled with the fact that school started in August and with band I don't get home until almost three hours after school ends. Then there is three hours of homework because of Pre-AP classes… That means in total, including the time to get ready for school, I spend about 13 hours a day on school and schoolwork. Things just aren't working for me and my writing, are they?**

**And just to add, threatening me by saying that you'll remove me from a favorites list is really not in any way inspiring to my writing of my story.**

**     *     = change scene**

**    *** = flashback/end flashback**

**Changed Perspectives**

            The kiss was everything and nothing that Harry had expected his first kiss to be. He had always thought it to be as loving and tender as Draco was being as he gently pushed Harry back into the bed and moved his lips to his nose to peck it before moving back to his mouth. But Harry had never imagined the kiss being so _intense. He had always imagined it to be sloppy and messy. He felt as if the world had melted away leaving only him, Draco, and the incredible feeling flowing over his body. _

            Draco placed one more feather-soft kiss of Harry's lips before pulling away and moving to stand up. Before he could even sit up completely straight, Harry had pulled him back down and cuddled up to him on the bed. "Don't go," he said, quietly.

            The blonde smiled as he placed a gentle kiss over Harry's scar. The green-eyed boy shivered slightly at that intimate contact on the scar that had brought him so much pain. "I don't want to go, Harry," Draco said when he moved again to get up and bent down to retrieve some things that had fallen on the floor off of the bed. "But I believe that you ought to be going now unless you want to be late to your first potions tutorial. You and I both know that our dear head of house does not approve of tardiness."

            Harry gasped and whistled a short call to get his phoenix-shaped clock to fly over to him, flapping its wings. "Oh hell," he said as he jumped off the bed. "I'm going to be late."

            Draco just smiled again and held out Harry's potions book and wand that he had picked up for him to take. Harry quickly grabbed them and ran out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Draco pouted for a second thinking amusedly, 'I don't even get a goodbye kiss.' But then the door opened again and Harry ran in and kissed Draco quickly on the mouth and said, "Goodbye, see in an hour or so," before running back out of the room again.

            He must have stood there for a few minutes just smiling happily before Pansy walked into the room. "The opportune moment arose, didn't it?"

            Draco turned and smiled brilliantly. "It certainly did."

*

            Harry went running down the Slytherin tower steps and out of the common room towards one of the smaller potions laboratories where his tutorial was to take place. He skidded into the room and panted to a rather impatient-looking Snape. "Sorry, I'm late."

            "Have I not told you before, Mr. Potter, that although I'm glad that you are now a Slytherin and that I know that my former loathing of was unjustified that I will not accept you ever being tardy to my classes or the tutorials that I have graciously given you?" Snape said this all rather calmly and in a manner that seemed to say that he knew that this very conversation was going to happen.

            "I didn't mean to be late at all, sir." Harry replied. "Draco was helping me review over potions work before I came here and we got caught up in… another activity and lost track of time."

            Severus arched an eyebrow when he saw Harry's cheeks turn red with a definite blush. "And what exactly was that other activity that you were so caught up in?"

            "I'd rather not say, Professor."

            "You may call me Severus in private, Harry, as do all the other Slytherins. But first you are going to tell me what kept me waiting here for ten minutes."

            Harry tried to seem truthful as he said. "I studied so hard to be prepared for my tutorial that…I fell asleep?" he ended lamely.

            "And you expect me to believe that?" Severus asked.    

            Harry smiled sheepishly. "Er, no, I didn't but well, it doesn't hurt to try, does it? Besides I know that once I tell you you'll wish that you hadn't heard." He asked, a puppy dog look entering his eyes. "Aw, come on, Sevvy Wevvy. You know that I am the innocent former Gryffindor golden boy. You don't think that I'd lie, do you?"

            "If I ever hear you call me that again, do not even think for a second, Mr. Potter that I will not give you so many cauldrons to scrub that you will be asking for your arm to fall off — before you are even halfway through. I told you before that even if you are a Slytherin now that I will not tolerate any of your former Gryffindor traits, such as tardiness." Severus snapped rather loudly. "Now tell me this instant what you were doing to be so late before I use a mild and legal truth potion."

            Harry noticed the smirk on Severus' face. "You don't even really care what I was doing, do you? You just want me to be embarrassed!"

            "Of course." Severus answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. And to think that this man that was known for being the most cruel professor in Hogwarts was actually almost like a curious best friend of some weird sort. "So go on or should I get out some of my truth potions now? And then besides just asking you this one simple question, I can ask a lot more—personal ones."

            "Well, if you most know. I was just having the greatest snog of my life from Draco Malfoy. But then again, it would be the greatest snog of my life being that it was my first one. Might I say that your godson is an amazing kisser?" Harry answered without a hint of a blush on his cheeks and in a calm manner. Severus choked on the sip of water that he had just taken from a glass located on a coaster on his desk. Harry just smirked again. "I told you that you'll probably wish that hadn't heard. I mean, really, who wants to hear of his godson's exploits with his former, I'm hoping, least favorite student."

            "Damn straight I didn't need to hear that," Severus growled. "But let me tell you this right now. If you even think about hurting my godson I will not be known as your least favorite professor but more of one of your biggest godforsaken nightmares. And even I will be nothing compared to Lucius should you hurt his son."

            Harry gulped at the growling quality of his professor's voice. "I'll keep that in mind."

            "Oh, you had better. Because might I also remind you that Lucius Malfoy and I will be your weapons training teachers and in that class, you are allowed to be injured… as long as it isn't _too serious."_

            "Oh, for Christ's sakes!" Harry said. "I'm not planning on hurting him any time soon or ever for that matter! I just got together with him less than an hour ago."

            "Yes, well. Let's begin this tutorial of yours." Severus spoke as if the whole previous conversation had not occurred. "I can't have a Slytherin being absolutely dismal in my potions class."

            And so for an hour Severus helped with the practical side of making a Pepper-Up Potion.

*

            Harry left the potions laboratory just in time to head off towards the Great Hall for lunch early. He had been let out early as it seemed that he had managed to make a near perfect potion; one of his best ever actually. And since the quidditch game had been played early in the morning he still had plenty of time until his weapons training at three in the afternoon.

            As he was walking down one of the dungeon corridors towards the stone steps that lead towards the pathway into the Entrance Hall, he was intercepted by a red head; two identical red heads in fact. "Ah, Harry, just the person that we were looking for!"

            "Fred, George," he greeted. "What can I help you with now?"

            The twins grinned in the manner that tells someone right away that they are up to something that is highly dangerous, mischievous, or illegal. They gestured with their hands for him to follow them. "Come on, we need to discuss in a more private area. Draco and the rest of your fellow year mate Slytherins are already waiting for this most humorous discussion."

            Harry just smirked. "I swear you two would have been so good in Slytherin."

            "Ah, yes, we have been told that many, many times… But we must say that our hearts live in the kingdom Gryffindor."

            Harry snorted as the three of them passed through quite a few secret passages and entered what looked to be a very comfortably crowded room. There were literally plush couches everywhere and a giant fireplace that was currently unlit.

            "Harry! It took you long enough to get here!" Millicent called from her seat. "Oh, and by the way, congratulations!" She jumped up and hugged him. "You should have just seen all the Slytherins when we were told by Pansy that you two are together. The Silver Slytherin has finally settled down!"

            Draco blushed slightly as he heard his nickname but Harry just smiled nervously as all the people in the room smirked. "Uh, thanks for your—blessings, I guess."

            Gwen turned to Draco and whispered. "He's a keeper, Draco. Don't lose him."

            Harry walked over to where Draco was sitting on a small couch by himself and sat down next to him. Draco smiled slightly at him and placed a kiss on his cheek. Harry blushed deeply at the 'awe's coming from the occupants of the room.

            "Shut up, you!" Draco said, in defense of his boyfriend before turning to Fred and George. "So what is the point of this meeting that you dragged us all to?"

            "The point of this meeting is our dearest little brother. He's become insufferable. I swear if I have to hear him complain one more time to me about how the Slytherins called forth the evil demon lords of sixth precinct of hell in order to give them more power and give them the ability to defeat the Gryffindor quidditch team I am going to curse my own little brother."

            "What does your father, mother, Bill, Charlie, Percy, and Ginny all think of this new attitude of Ron's?"

            "Bill and Charlie are both perfectly fine with it. They both had Slytherin friends when they came to Hogwarts. Ginny was kind of going with the flow of the rest of the Gryffindor house; you know the whole betrayed feel. That is until Ron started saying how he would never understand how she could have ever been as childish and immature as to actually having a crush on you in her _first_ year. Now she won't talk to him at all."

            George took over the talking from there. "Mum actually sent Ron a letter that if she gets even one letter of complaint about Ron's behavior she'll put him under house arrest and chore duty during the summer. She says that it isn't right to be hateful to one's own 'brother'." The twins smirked at this. "I guess this means you have been officially named part of the Weasley clan, Harry. We'll have to dye your hair the famous Weasley red next Hogsmeade weekend."

            Harry laughed. "I don't think that red's really my color. But what on earth did you bring us all into the room for, you two?"

            "As we mentioned before, our dearest little brother has become insufferable in the Gryffindor house in our opinion, which isn't too widely spread—being that as we stated before most of the Gryffindors feel slightly betrayed." The rest of the people nodded or waved their hands to get the twins to hurry and finish their explanation.

            "Of course," Fred said, "we have been wanting to test out our new creation, Weasel Whips and since today is just such a perfect day, despite the fact that we lost the quidditch match, we just couldn't resist to try our newest candies out. Anyone know someone willing to taste one?"

*

            The fifth year Slytherins all rushed to lunch while trying to _look_ like they _weren't_ rushing to lunch. As Harry and finally seated himself next to Draco near the center of the table and facing towards the Gryffindor table where Ron was gorging himself with food, Shawn sat down next to him. "So," Shawn paused for effect. "What's going on, big brother?"

            "What makes you think that anything is going on?" Harry asked as he looked once again at the Gryffindor table. 

            "Well, there is the fact that Lucius Malfoy just walked into the Great Hall and has just sat down beside our Head of House yet none of the usually attentive fifth year Slytherins have even noticed yet."

            Although Gwendolyn, Blaise, Pansy, and Millicent continued on in their conversation about the importance of quidditch in contrast to something or another, Harry and Draco both turned to see the elder Malfoy watching them from the Head table, nodding a greeting which both of the younger Slytherins repeated back.

            _"So?" _Shawn asked impatiently, "What the hell is going on?"

            "You'll see… Just make sure that you keep your eyes upon the Gryffindor table. The fun just begins in just a few minutes." Draco said as he gestured almost imperceptibly to his father to do the same. Lucius just smirked from his seat.

            It was at that moment that green and gold words appeared above the Gryffindor table with the bang and sounds of fireworks shooting in the air. 

_A few us among you,_

_Decided 'hey, let's make the Great Hall a zoo!'_

_But alas, we could not find the proper animals and care_

_So we came up with another idea and thought we would share…_

_THE ASTOUNDING JUMPING WEASEL!!!_

            The Great Hall erupted into laughter (at least all the Slytherins, most the Ravenclaws, quite a few of the Hufflepuffs, and one or two sniggers among the Gryffindors) at the sight that met them.

            It is a rather sad thing, in the opinions of the Slytherins at least, when it can be said that Ronald Weasley looked better as a jumping weasel than he did as a regular human.


	11. Of Bloodlines, Blondes, and 'Pure Hell'

**It was questioned in a review about how Draco knew about Einstein in chapter 5. It just slipped my mind when I typed it. But now that it has been mentioned, just look at it as if although the Malfoys and the rest of the Slytherins do not associate with any Muggle-like, they are not completely ignorant.**

**     *     = change scene**

**    *** = flashback/end flashback**

**Changed Perspectives**

**            "Now, for your first lesson we won't even be picking up any of the chosen weapons as that would be too dangerous with your lack of knowledge in how to handle any of the blades." Lucius Malfoy stated from his position next to Severus Snape. He had, of course, been asked by Dumbledore at Severus' recommendation to help with Harry Potter's physical training.**

            Harry smirked from his standing position in one of the many dueling rooms of Hogwarts located somewhere among the miles of hallways in the dungeons. "Are you saying, Mr. Malfoy, that you don't trust me to not hurt myself—or rather you—with a weapon in my hands?"

            Lucius Malfoy gave one of his infamous Malfoy trademark smirks that put Harry's into the dust. "Oh, I'm not worried about you attacking me per se. But I can't have the Savior-of-the-Wizarding-World die by his own sword in his own hand, can I?"

            The aristocratic blonde then looked at the Gryffindor sword in Harry's hands. "Do you know how to use that thing?"

            "It seems obvious to me."         

            "Tell us," Lucius said gesturing to Severus who was sitting, "then how to use the sword." They both waited looking nonchalant and wondering what the Slytherin's answer would be.

            "It's quite simple really." Harry said as he hefted up his sword and pointed towards the tip. "The pointy end goes into the other man."*

            Severus snorted from his seated position before he stood up. "It appears, Harry that you are not to completely grasp the important concepts of such a beautiful thing such as swordsmanship. However, now that I have seen that you can show me that you are not completely incompetent in the art of potion-making I will give you the benefit of the doubt and hope that you will at least attempt to not be stupid in this subject as you had been in my potions classes."

            "If I am not to be using the sword for the next few lessons, what will I be doing?"

            "Lessons are composed of two hours every Saturday. The first hour you will be studying the theory behind the usage of swords and the different types and how to use them. The next hour you will be working on stretching and building up your strength and endurance. In a real fight you will not be given water breaks and time outs. You will have to learn to build your stamina. For now, we work on physically then after your sword skills are _above_ average we will integrate magic into that skill so that you will be able to be fluid enough in your movements to be able to cast spells while fighting. You cannot expect yourself, however, to be able to do this unless you practice during the week when you don't have formal lessons with us. Do you understand, Harry?"

            "Of course," Harry said eagerly. "So can we start?"

            Oh, how Harry would regret that question later.

*

            Green eyes narrowed with pain and ire as Blaise Zabini heartily thumped him on the back as he sat down gingerly on a couch in the Circle at the top of the Slytherin tower. 

            "So how was your lesson?" the other asked with the smirk immediately associated with all Slytherins.

            "It had me convinced I was in hell until I realized that there weren't fires burning all over the place and that Lucifer was no where in sight. But then again, Severus and Lucius make up one hell one of 'We-Are-Evil-Angels-Fallen-From-Heaven' duo. How many push-ups and chin-ups and stretches and sit-ups is it physically possible to do in one bloody hour?"

            "Ah, so you have been put under the famous Lucius Malfoy training plan." Blaise said with a knowing look.

            Harry looked up at that comment. "Are there others that have been trained by him?"

            "Only Draco. He's a really amazing swordsman for what I've seen and heard. I believe that he told me that Mr. Malfoy had asked him to be your end-of-course exam."

            "My end-of-course exam? What the hell do they mean by that?"

            "In order for Severus and Mr. Malfoy to declare that you have become sufficient you have to duel Draco and win. I hear that first blood gives you bonus points. You'll both be warded against actual harm of course."

            "How is it that you know of all of this but not me?"

            "I've been a Slytherin for four more years than you have been, Harry. I know all the tricks of eavesdropping, spying, espionage, and all the other known Slytherin talents."

            "But, of course," Harry said with a knowing look.

            Blaise just grinned. "So where is Draco?"

"How am I supposed to know?" Harry asked while shrugging. "We're going out not attached at the hip. I didn't know his location at all times during the months we were just friends. I don't know his location at all times now."            

            "Well, it sounds like you and Draco are in a really loving relationship." Blaise stated, in just a slightly sarcastic voice. "Are you sure you both actually have a very loving relationship?"

            "Yes. You do realize that part of a relationship is trust?"

            "Of course, of course." Blaise said smilingly.

            It was then that Draco came into the Circle and kissed Harry on the cheek as he sat down next to him before bursting out with laughter like a hyena (but with definitely a more beautiful voice) as he collapsed over Harry's lap. "Oh Merlin! You should have been there!"

            "What happened?" Harry asked eagerly as he gently ran his fingers through Draco's hair.

            "Weasley was insulting all the Malfoys that ever existed when Granger comes in and says that in 'Mikhail Malfoy, from the year 981 AD, was in fact a brilliant wizard. Quite powerful, really, and he was the apprentice of Salazar Slytherin himself it is noted by the more reliable historical texts. That would have been a great honor at the time. Mikhail Malfoy is also the wizard credited for finding the helpful uses of belladonna for a potion that he had been creating during his time as an apprentice to Slytherin. So really, the Malfoys were and have been, for more than a thousand years, one of the brighter wizarding families.'" 

            Draco laughed so hard he actually snorted (in an adorably aristocratic way, of course). "Weasel became _offended at the comment and started saying things like, 'Malfoys smart? You have got to be pulling my beard!' Then Granger stated quite clearly that 'You don't have a beard.'"_

            "Really?" Harry asked, surprised. "I thought that Hermione hated you and me for that matter."

            Draco smirked. "I don't think that it's a matter of if she hates or not but more of a matter of her showing Weasley that not everything he believes is true. It probably was just another chance for her to show her _amazing_ brain off."

            "Ah. That makes more sense." Harry said, sighing softly. "I guess that I just miss her sometimes, you know?"

            "Granger always had more of a brainy Ravenclaw disposition than the stupid Gryffindor one. She may yet be salvaged."

            "Salvaged? You make her sound like something that was almost completely destroyed."

            "When doesn't Gryffindor almost completely destroy a person?" Draco just asked. "Aside from you, of course."

            "There's the case with Fred and George, Seamus, Dean, and Neville."

            "Well, them also…"

            "And Angelina, Alicia, and Katie…"

            "Okay, those three also…"

            "And—"

            "I get the point." Draco stated. "So how was your first lesson with my father?"

            "Pure hell."

            Draco grinned. "Of course it was. My father is a relentless worker. But rest assured that when this is over, you will be the more proficient at using a sword than you believe possible." He then looked around to make sure that none of the other Slytherins were listening excepting Blaise. "My father has coordinated a meeting between some of the other rebellious Death Eaters along with Severus. They are planning on meeting in three weeks time in Hogsmeade. Father said that we are to come."

            "Who's the we?" Blaise asked.

            "Just me and Harry for now. I think that the only reason he wants us there is because he knows that Harry is going to be important in the fight against Voldemort. There's no way that he can't be. Sorry, Harry. And well, I'm not sure why I'm to be invited as well."

            "Maybe because I probably will need someone closes to my age and indefinitely a Slytherin to be there with me to explain the politics of Slytherins."

*

            The three weeks passed quickly, what with school and all. Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons with Remus were going great and since Sirius had been freed and given a full pardon he had been helping with the classes. Potions classes were going better now that Harry had had the tutorials. He no longer needed them with Severus so often and when he did it was only for the more complicated ones. Harry was doing very well in all his other classes except of History of Magic where he still always fell asleep during lectures. The weapons training sessions were extended to be on Saturdays and Wednesday afternoons (sometimes Lucius had to cancel because of his job however) and were still 'pure hell'.

***

            "I'm telling you, Hermione, there aren't any Malfoys worth knowing. All of them for ages have been the dumb blonde type. Really! It's like blonde hair is genetic to them and the stupidity just travels down the bloodlines."

            At that a sixth year Ravenclaw blonde who had heard what Ron had said turned and hit hard on the back of the head. "Blondes are stupid, are they?" she said, threateningly. 

            Ron didn't seem to know what to do. "Oh, I never meant you were stupid. It's only Malfoy."

            The Ravenclaw 'humphed' before walking away and Ron continued ranting. "I bet it was him and Harr—Potter that came up with the plan. I would swear it! Stupid bloody Malfoys and Potters."

            Of course, Ron and Hermione did not notice Draco Malfoy listening.

            "Really, Ron. The Malfoy line has been one of the more brighter and powerful wizarding lines from the time around and before the time of the Hogwarts founders."

            "I'd like you to prove that!" Ron said angrily. "The Weasley line is a very distinct one as well!"

            "I never said that your family line wasn't. You just don't hear as much about them. However, the Malfoy line is a very distinct line. Augustus Malfoy was well known to be one of Salazar Slytherin's acquaintances and was therefore very involved in the beginning of Hogwarts in the time of the late 900s. Mikhail Malfoy, Augustus Malfoy's son was the apprentice of Salazar Slytherin if the more reliable texts of the subject can be trusted."

            Ron snorted. "I bet that Malfoy git probably helping building the Chamber of Secrets."

            "That could very well be the case. It could also be the case that the Chamber was just a research center of some sort and the legend behind it became distorted over time. That does happen quite a few times."

            "Really, Mione. You're telling me that Malfoys are _bright_ and _smart_ and that the great git Slytherin himself might not have been evil. You've got to be pulling my beard."

            "You don't have one, Ron."

            "That isn't the point Mione! You're telling me that Malfoys are _bright_ and bloody _brilliant_. You'll be telling me that Malfoy and his father are handsome as well."

            "Now that you speak of it. They do have a classical beauty. It's quite like the statues of Adonis or Apollo. Harry is shaped quite like that too. Very proportionate."

            _"What?"                   _

"It's true. However, Malfoy's personality doesn't fit with his angelic looks." Hermione continued, ignoring Ron's seething. "You did tell me that I'd be telling you that."

            "Well, I didn't think you'd actually say it."

            "Oh, really!" Hermione said. "I'm trying to study, Ron! OWLs are this year if you are forgetting! Go ranting to all the other Gryffindors about 'Gryffindor traitors'. They'll be happy to hear you. I, however, have got to actually _study_!"

***

**End Chapter Eleven**

I admit. I took that line from the movie **The Mask of Zorro. If you haven't watched that movie, ****_you MUST_. It is just **awesome**.**

**Story Suggestions:**

**            Should Hermione (please give reason of why you wish it this way)—**

a) remain angry (or something other negative emotion) at Harry

b) be "salvaged" from her horrendous Gryffindor ways

c) not necessarily hate Harry but still choose Ron over his friendship

d) some other situation

            Which Death Eaters should be loyal to (or left out of) the cause against Voldemort?

                        (these are just the names that I can think of off the top of my head)

                        a) Macnair

                        b) Mulciber (?)

                        c) Nott

                        d) Crabbe 

                        e) Goyle

                        f) Parkinson

                        g) Zabini

                        h) other 

(please specify whether loyal to or not and I'm trying to keep the parents loyal to the cause because of my first chapter)

I beg of you to actually think this suggestion through and come up with one that you actually do believe would further **help** the story.


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